Dodgers at Rockies
The Colorado Rockies have established a pattern of playing up — and down — to the competition, a trend that continued in the opener of their three-game series against the National League West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers. The Rockies go for their fourth consecutive victory when they host the Dodgers on Tuesday after breezing to an 8-1 win in the series opener.
Colorado has won two of three against division leaders Washington (twice) and the Chicago Cubs, only to get swept in Philadelphia and Milwaukee over the past 2 1/2 weeks. DJ LeMahieu is batting a robust .444 in the month of August after collecting two hits and three RBIs Monday to keep the Rockies within 6 1/2 games of the second wild card. Los Angeles lost for the third time in nine games and had its lead atop the division trimmed to 1 1/2 games over San Francisco. The Dodgers got a brief scare when Corey Seager was hit by a pitch for the second time Monday and was shaking his left hand, but the star rookie shortstop stayed in the game.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), ROOT (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Rich Hill (10-3, 2.09 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Tyler Anderson (4-5, 3.69)
Sidelined for more than a month due to blisters on his pitching hand, Hill made a seamless return to the rotation in his debut for the Dodgers. Acquired from Oakland at the trade deadline, Hill blanked San Francisco on five hits over six innings in his first outing since throwing only five pitches versus Toronto on July 17. Hill has yet to allow more than three earns runs in a start and has yielded two homers in 82 innings.
Anderson gave up two runs or fewer for the fourth time in six starts last time out but was saddled with the loss despite giving up two runs and striking out 10 in five innings at Milwaukee. The 26-year-old made his lone career start against the Dodgers earlier this month and earned the victory with seven innings of two-run ball. Anderson has acquitted himself well at Coors Field, posting a 4-1 record and 3.45 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (herniated disk) will pitch a simulated game Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.
2. Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado is 18-for-33 with five homers and 14 RBIs in his last eight games.
3. The Dodgers will start RHP Ross Stripling in Wednesday's series finale, bumping RHP Bud Norris.