Rockies at Dodgers
The same people who considered the Los Angeles Dodgers unbeatable last month are now wondering if they’ll ever win again. Los Angeles has lost nine straight contests and 14 of its last 15 heading into Sunday's finale of its four-game series against the visiting Colorado Rockies, who hold a three-game lead over Milwaukee and St. Louis for the second National League wild-card spot.
Trevor Story homered and recorded three RBIs in Saturday’s 6-5 victory as Colorado grabbed an early four-run lead en route to its fifth straight road win. DJ LeMahieu saw his 16-game hitting streak come to an end, but Gerardo Parra continued to torment Dodger pitchers by going 3-for-5 with an RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base. Andre Ethier and Logan Forsythe homered for the Dodgers, who still own the majors' best record at 92-50 but were forced to lean on their bullpen again Saturday after Alex Wood allowed five runs and eight hits in five innings. “We’re doing exactly what we’ve done all year long,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters. “The results just aren’t there. We gotta find a way to win a game.”
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, TBS, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Colorado), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Tyler Chatwood (6-12, 4.88 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Rich Hill (9-7, 3.67)
Chatwood has shuttled between the rotation and bullpen in recent weeks and likely will be limited to 60-70 pitches or about three innings on Sunday. The 27-year-old made his first start since Aug. 2 on Tuesday and worked three scoreless frames against San Francisco. Chatwood is 4-8 with a 4.27 ERA in 13 career starts against Los Angeles, including a 3-3 mark with a 2.34 ERA in seven career starts at Dodger Stadium.
Hill dropped his third straight start on Monday against Arizona, allowing two runs with nine strikeouts over six frames in a 13-0 loss. The 37-year-old native of Massachusetts has posted a 3.15 ERA in 11 home starts this season compared to a 4.27 ERA in 10 road outings. Hill has registered a 23-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his last three starts and owns an 0-2 record and 8.80 ERA in three career turns against Colorado.
WALK-OFFS
1. Colorado OF Carlos Gonzalez is hitting .358 in 18 games since Aug. 18.
2. Roberts said LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu will be skipped in the rotation this week and RHP Kenta Maeda will get the start for Monday’s series opener at San Francisco.
3. The Rockies are expected to activate LHP Tyler Anderson (left knee surgery) from the disabled list prior to Sunday’s contest.