Dodgers at Rockies
Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw gets his fourth crack at career victory No. 100 when the Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Colorado Rockies on Saturday in the second contest of a three-game series. Los Angeles made it four straight wins over the Rockies this season in a rain-shortened series opener that was called in the sixth inning.
Kershaw's only victory of the season came at home against Colorado on April 17, when he struck out 12 to overcome a pair of home runs allowed. He dominated the Rockies last season, winning all three starts while posting an 0.41 ERA and holding them to a scant .070 batting average. Colorado has dropped eight straight overall and 14 of its last 18 games to drop into the NL West basement. Like the weather, the Rockies' short-term outlook is gloomy with Kershaw and Zack Greinke (5-0) set to pitch the next two games for the Dodgers.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), ROOT (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (1-2, 3.72 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Jorge De La Rosa (0-2, 9.00)
Kershaw is 0-1 over his last three turns despite giving up a total of seven runs, but the Dodgers haven't helped his cause by scoring six times. Kershaw and the bullpen could not hold a 3-0 lead last time out at Milwaukee and he wound up being charged with three runs over 7 1/3 innings in a no-decision. He was a hard-luck loser in the previous turn despite giving up two runs over seven innings versus San Francisco.
De La Rosa is off to a slow start after missing the first two weeks because of a groin injury, but struck out nine and allowed three runs in a loss at San Diego last time out. That was a marked improvement from his season debut against the Padres, when De La Rosa lasted two innings and was pounded for nine runs on nine hits. The 34-year-old Mexican is 5-10 with a 5.66 ERA in 21 appearances (17 starts) against Los Angeles.
WALK-OFFS
1. Kershaw has already served up five home runs - more than halfway to last year's total of nine.
2. Rockies C Nick Hundley has hit safely in 11 consecutive games.
3. Dodgers C Yasmani Grandal is 13-for-19 with three home runs and 11 RBIs during his six-game hitting streak.