Dodgers at Rockies
Even though the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Colorado Rockies on Saturday to win the season series between the National League West rivals, both teams pretty much got exactly what they wanted out of the day. The Dodgers and Rockies meet for the final time in the regular season Sunday in Colorado in what could be a precursor for the NL Division Series next weekend.
Los Angeles (103-58) bounced back from a 9-1 defeat in the series opener on Friday with a 5-3 victory, guaranteeing itself the best record in the majors and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. The Dodgers, who improved to 10-8 versus the Rockies this season, have claimed five of their last six overall to guarantee themselves of their best regular-season finish since the 1953 club went 105-49 when it still called Brooklyn home. Colorado learned it was making its first trip to the postseason since 2009 shortly before the start of Saturday's contest, as Milwaukee lost in St. Louis earlier in the day. The Rockies will visit division-rival Arizona in the wild-card game on Wednesday for the right to face the Dodgers in the NL Division Series.
TV: 3:15 p.m. ET, TBS, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Ross Stripling (3-5, 3.86 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Tyler Anderson (6-6, 4.81)
Stripling is taking the place of Brandon McCarthy (illness) and will make his second start of the season, although manager Dave Roberts expects him to pitch only about two innings. The Texas A&M product, who has made 47 relief appearances this season, yielded one hit and struck out five across three innings against Milwaukee on Aug. 26 in his only other turn of the year. Roberts told reporters Saturday that Stripling's start is "not set in stone" and hinted Brandon McCarthy could make an appearance at some point.
Anderson continued to pitch well in his fourth appearance since returning from a two-plus month stint on the disabled list on Sept. 11, winning for the third time over that span with seven scoreless innings against Miami on Tuesday. The 27-year-old Las Vegas native has posted a 1.19 ERA in that time, yielding only 13 hits and three walks while striking out 18 over 22 2/3 frames. Anderson has struggled in four starts versus the Dodgers this year, however, going 0-3 with a 7.00 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. Dodgers 1B Cody Bellinger needs one home run to join Hall-of-Famers Mel Ott (1929) and Eddie Mathews (1953) as the only players in major-league history to hit 40 before their age-22 season.
2. Colorado OF Charlie Blackmon has registered three straight multi-hit performances and is batting .458 with two homers, nine RBIs and six runs scored during his six-game hitting streak.
3. Los Angeles OF Yasiel Puig, who homered and scored four times Saturday, is 5-for-11 over his last four contests after going 4-for-25 during a seven-game stretch from Sept. 16-23.