Dodgers at Rockies
Colorado annually ranks among the worst pitching staffs in the majors, but the 2017 season - at least based on early results - doesn't appear as if it is going to be one of those years for the Rockies. Buoyed by an unexpected contribution from its pitchers, Colorado attempts to move to 6-1 for only the second time in its 25-year club history Sunday when it eyes a three-game home sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Rockies' new-and-improved bullpen has gotten off to a fine start by allowing only two runs and nine hits over 19 innings in the team's five wins thus far, and the pitching staff as a whole leads the majors with 56 strikeouts through six contests. Despite scoring only eight runs over its last three games, Colorado has won each time, conceding only four over the same stretch and effectively hiding a miserable start by the top three hitters in the order (Charlie Blackmon, DJ LeMahieu and Carlos Gonzalez are a combined 10-for-66). The Rockies look to win six of their first seven for the first time since 1995 against the Dodgers, who have mustered only three runs in Colorado this weekend after scoring 27 in four games against the San Diego Padres to begin the season. Logan Forsythe, who was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in the offseason to lead off for what was expected to be a potent offense, is in the midst of a 0-for-15 slump (with eight strikeouts) since beginning the season 3-for-5 (zero).
TV: 3:10 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), ROOT (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Kenta Maeda (0-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Tyler Anderson (1-0, 7.94)
Maeda was pulled after five innings against San Diego on Tuesday, giving up three runs on six hits and a pair of walks en route to a 4-0 loss to the Padres. The 28-year-old was coming off a strong spring in which he went 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA while limiting hitters to a .182 batting mark. Maeda went 2-2 with a 1.90 ERA in his four starts versus the Rockies as a rookie and more than held his own at Coors Field, going 2-1, 2.12 in three turns while holding Colorado hitters to a .177 average.
Anderson struck out eight over 5 2/3 innings but struggled overall Tuesday against Milwaukee, surrendering five runs on eight hits, including three for extra bases. The Las Vegas native was surprisingly much better in Colorado as a rookie last season, going 5-2 with a 3.00 ERA at home as opposed to 0-4, 4.71 on the road. Anderson won both of his starts in August at Coors Field versus the Dodgers in 2016, yielding a total of two runs across 13 1/3 innings, before settling for a no-decision in Los Angeles to end his season on Sept. 25.
WALK-OFFS
1. Colorado became the first team to hit back-to-back homers off Clayton Kershaw on Saturday when Mark Reynolds and Gerardo Parra went deep in the sixth inning.
2. Dodgers OF Andrew Toles' solo shot Saturday was his first home run since hitting a grand slam Aug. 31 at Coors Field.
3. LeMahieu, the reigning National League batting champion, is batting .087 after going 0-for-4 Saturday.