DENVER — The Colorado Rockies have gained control of their October destiny and will start German Marquez on Wednesday http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-keith-hernandez-jersey , hoping the young right-hander can continue his recent dominance against the free-falling Philadelphia Phillies.The Rockies, who blasted the Phillies 10-1 on Monday, won their fifth straight game Tuesday, pounding them 10-3. That victory coupled with St. Louis’ loss enabled the Rockies to move one-half game ahead of the Cardinals in the race for the second National League wild-card spot. The Rockies also gained ground on the Los Angeles Dodgers and are a half-game behind them in the NL West.The loss was a season-high sixth in a row for the Phillies (78-79), who have dropped 17 of 23 games this month and have dipped below .500 for the first time since April 9, when they were 4-5. The Phillies were 63-48 on Aug. 5, which was the second-best record in the NL but have since gone 15-31.Article continues below ...“We have not played good baseball for quite some time,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said after Tuesday’s loss. “We have to find a way to perform better. We have to find a way to work harder, prepare better and come out and fight.”The 23-year-old Marquez (13-10, 3.91 ERA), who will start against Nick Pivetta (7-13, 4.58), has 210 strikeouts and is closing in on a single-season franchise record. Pedro Astacio also had 210 strikeouts in 1999 for the Rockies, and Ubaldo Jimenez set the franchise record with 214 strikeouts in 2010.Marquez Bob Gibson Jersey , who is 3-1, 2.23 in his past six starts at home, last started Friday and won at Arizona, giving up two runs and six hitsin seven innings with no walks and 11 strikeouts.He has 11 or more strikeouts in four of his past five starts and has allowed three or fewer runs in 11 consecutive turns. In those 11 outings, Marquez is 5-2, 2.36 with 14 walks and 98 strikeouts in 76 1/3 innings, limiting opposing hitters to a .207 average and .575 OPS in that stretch.An improved slider, which Marquez has used more frequently this season, has been integral to his success. According to FanGraphs, Marquez’s slider usage has increased from 4.1 percent last year to 16 percent this season. Meanwhile, his fastball usage has decreased from 65.5 percent to 55.3 percent and his curveball usage has dipped to 22.2 percent from 25 percent. He has thrown his changeup 6.5 percent of the time, up from 5.4 percent last year.“I think he has confidence in throwing his slider for a strike,” said catcher Tony Wolters, who has been behind the plate regularly when Marquez starts. “He throws his slider probably more for a strike than his curveball.”Wolters said the slider is a pitch Marquez will use to begin an at-bat http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-willie-mcgee-jersey , along with his very effective curveball and that the two breaking pitches complement each other and give him a first-pitch alternative to a fastball.But Marquez has been able to finish off hitters this year with the slider, because it’s a sharp-breaking swing-and-miss pitch and so much better than a year ago.“It has a lot of depth, and it goes down,” Wolters said. “Last year, it was kind of sweepy. He had trouble with it going down and had trouble throwing strikes with it.”Marquez is 1-1, 5.25 in two starts against the Phillies, both in Philadelphia.Pivetta had a no-decision Friday at Atlanta, where he gave up four hits and one run in five innings in Philadelphia’s 6-5 loss. He has not pitched more than five innings in five consecutive starts, going 0-3, 3.47 in that stretch covering 23 1/3 innings.Pivetta is 0-2, 16.43 in two starts against the Rockies, including a 7-2 loss June 13 at Philadelphia, where he gave up six runs and eight hits in five innings. OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland Athletics will seek to surpass 200 home runs for the sixth time in franchise history Sunday afternoon when they complete what has been a high-scoring Mike Matheny Jersey , three-game series against the Texas Rangers.Khris Davis, Chad Pinder and Matt Olson increased the A’s season total to 198 homers in Saturday’s 8-6 victory over the Rangers, one day after Ramon Laureano (two) and Marcus Semien had combined for three in an 8-4 victory in the series opener.With 19 games remaining, the A’s are on pace for 224 homers. The franchise record is 243, set in 1996.Article continues below ...They are tied for second in the majors in home runs with the Los Angeles Dodgers (198), well behind the New York Yankees (232).The A’s have hammered Rangers pitching at both ends of their last two meetings, with Laureano leading off the first with a homer Friday night, before Olson connected to break a 6-6 tie in Oakland’s last at-bat, in the bottom of the eighth, on Saturday.Davis’ homer Saturday was his 10th of the season against Texas.The man given the task of keeping the ball in the ballpark Sunday will be Rangers right-hander Ariel Jurado (2-4, 6.00 ERA), who did just that when he went 5 2/3 innings against the A’s in Texas on Aug. 21 in his only appearance versus Oakland.Unfortunately for Jurado, the A’s managed 10 hits in his stint, taking a 4-0 lead they eventually turned into a 6-0 victory.Jurado has allowed six homers in seven starts this season http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-red-schoendienst-jersey , with four of them coming in the same game against the Yankees on Aug. 8.The Rangers kept pace with the A’s in the power game Saturday, with Adrian Beltre (two) and Jurickson Profar combining for three home runs.Team leader Joey Gallo belted his 35th on Friday.A’s right-hander Trevor Cahill (6-3, 3.60), who is scheduled to start the series finale, has served up seven homers in 18 starts.One of those seven was hit by Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor when the clubs met in Texas in April.Cahill also made a homerless start at Texas in July. He has given up eight runs and 11 hits in 10 innings in his two outings against the Rangers this season, going 1-0 with one no-decision in two A’s wins.The 30-year-old has an 11-4 record and 3.07 ERA in 19 career starts against Texas.Beltre has two career homers, along with a .371 average, against Cahill.His multiple-homer game Saturday was the 33rd of his career and ran his career total to 474, allowing him to pass Carlos Delgado for 32nd place on the major league list.Beltre’s next homer will move him into a tie for 30th with Willie Stargell and Stan Musial.