Rockies at Dodgers
To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of Colorado Rockies veteran Carlos Gonzalez’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. Gonzalez looks to remain hot Saturday as the Rockies continue their four-game series against the host Los Angeles Dodgers, who have lost a season-high eight straight contests and 13 of its last 14.
After struggling for much of the season, the 31-year-old Gonzalez is 10-for-21 with two home runs and seven RBIs over his last seven games for the Rockies, who have opened the series with back-to-back wins and hold a three-game lead over Milwaukee and St. Louis for the second NL wild-card spot. “Hopefully, I can continue to keep doing that, especially right now when we need it the most, making a big run for the playoffs,” Gonzalez told reporters. “And of course, if we end up playing in the playoffs, you want to have you're A-game going.” Despite the Dodgers’ current slump, they still lead Arizona by 10 games in the NL West with 21 to play. Corey Seager returned to the lineup in Friday’s 5-4 loss and went 1-for-5 after dealing with elbow inflammation, and Justin Turner helped give the Dodgers an early lead with a two-run homer in the first inning.
TV: 9:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Colorado), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Chad Bettis (0-2, 4.91 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Alex Wood (14-2, 2.57)
Bettis still is seeking his first win of the season after allowing three runs over 5 1/3 innings against San Francisco on Monday. The 28-year-old Texan struck out three without issuing a walk in his fifth start since returning from testicular cancer. Turner has six hits in nine at-bats against Bettis, who is 0-2 with a 5.64 ERA in eight career games (five starts) against Los Angeles, including a 6.75 ERA in five appearances (three starts) at Dodger Stadium.
Wood returned from the disabled list Sunday and allowed four runs over six innings while throwing 98 pitches in a 6-4 loss to San Diego. The 26-year-old made 14 consecutive starts without a loss to begin the season and has posted an impressive 134-to-33 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Wood has gone 4-2 with a 5.02 ERA in eight career starts against Colorado, including a 2-0 record and 0.75 ERA in two outings covering 12 innings this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Colorado 2B DJ LeMahieu is batting .348 during his 16-game hitting streak.
2. Los Angeles is 26-10 against the Rockies at home since 2014.
3. The Rockies announced that RHP Tyler Chatwood will start Sunday’s series finale.