Dodgers welcome Rockies to L.A. with open arms
The Dodgers have won 16 of their past 17 home games against the Rockies, including a three-game sweep from Aug. 21-23. Los Angeles outscored Colorado 20-7 in that series. And the Dodgers are just as hot as they were when the Rockies last came to Chavez Ravine.
The Los Angeles Dodgers enjoy seeing the Colorado Rockies visit town and will
attempt to continue their home mastery of their National League West rivals
when the clubs open up a three-game series on Friday at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers have won 16 of their past 17 home games against the Rockies,including a three-game sweep from Aug. 21-23. Los Angeles outscored Colorado20-7 in that series.
And the Dodgers are just as hot as they were when the Rockies last came toChavez Ravine. Los Angeles has won five straight games and 18 of its past 21while owning the best record in the majors at 29-10.
The Dodgers also have won 10 straight home games after posting a 5-1 victoryover the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night.
“It’s just a credit to everybody in the clubhouse,” Los Angeles manager DaveRoberts said in a postgame television interview. “Guys are playing teambaseball. … For me as a (manager), it’s really encouraging.”
In Thursday’s win, left-hander Clayton Kershaw allowed one hit over sixscoreless innings and moved into 38th place on the all-time strikeouts listwith 2,505. Shortstop Corey Seager had three hits and outfielder A.J. Pollockhit a pinch-hit homer.
“It was very methodical,” Roberts said of the win. “I thought we played reallygood baseball. It starts with pitching and defense and we did that. I thoughtthe at-bats up and down the lineup were better. Just really good baseball.”
The Rockies (18-19) started the season playing strong baseball but havecollapsed after an 11-3 start. Colorado has lost 16 of 23 contests to fall agame below .500.
Some of the recent setbacks were ugly. Colorado allowed 10 or more runs inthree of its last four defeats, including being drubbed 23-5 by the SanFrancisco Giants on Tuesday.
The following day, the Rockies rallied for a 9-6 win over the Giants tobrighten the mood before an off-day Thursday.
“We get together as a group and it’s like, ‘Hey, guys, we’re way too good tobe not performing, to be performing the way we are,’ ” rookie outfielder SamHilliard told reporters of the team’s issues. “We know what type of talent wehave, what we’re capable of doing, and we showed it at the end of the game.”
Colorado manager Bud Black is hoping that win will snap the team out of itsdoldrums.
“This was a good one, coming on the heels of what happened (Tuesday),” Blacktold reporters. “Let’s hope so. … Only time will tell, but this was a goodone. It really was.”
The Rockies will send right-hander Antonio Senzatela (3-1, 3.22 ERA) to themound on Friday. Senzatela was rocked for four homers when Colorado lost 11-3to Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 23. He allowed six runs and sevenhits over 5 1/3 innings.
That contest continued Senzatela’s career-long problems against Los Angeles.He is 2-3 with a 7.04 ERA in eight career appearances (six starts) against theDodgers.
Seager (4-for-9) has two homers off Sentazela, who has served up nine to theDodgers. The 25-year-old is winless in four starts since opening the campaignwith three straight victories. He pitched seven shutout innings — allowingseven hits — in a no-decision against the San Diego Padres last Saturday.
Right-hander Dustin May (1-1, 2.83) will take the ball for Los Angeles andattempt to end a four-start winless stretch.
May allowed two runs and five hits over six innings in a no-decision againstthe Texas Rangers on Aug. 28. It was the third time this season he pitched sixinnings, and he has allowed two runs each time.
May allowed one run and two hits in five innings in a no-decision against theRockies on Aug. 22.
Reigning NL MVP Cody Bellinger (lat) of the Dodgers was hitless in fourat-bats on Thursday. He missed the previous two games.
–Field Level Media
