Rockies at Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers were headed nowhere fast less than a week ago, but somewhere along the way on their trip to the East Coast, they became the hottest team in the National League. Los Angeles sets its sights on a season-high fifth straight victory Monday, when it returns home to face the Colorado Rockies in the opener of a three-game series.
The Dodgers fell to 16-26 after suffering six straight losses to division cellar-dwellers Cincinnati and Miami to match its worst 42-game start since leaving Brooklyn for Los Angeles in 1958 before mercifully ending their skid with a 7-0 victory over the Marlins on Thursday. With injuries wreaking havoc on their rotation in particular, the defending NL champions showed their grit by marching into Washington and completing a three-game weekend sweep of the Nationals, who had won 13 of their previous 15. Los Angeles' mini-surge has left it five games out of first place in the NL West and 4 1/2 behind second-place Colorado, which settled for a series split in San Francisco over the weekend despite winning the first two games in convincing fashion. The Rockies remain one of the majors' best road teams in light of the consecutive losses with an 18-11 away record, including an 8-3 mark this month.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Colorado), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH German Marquez (2-5, 5.15 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Walker Buehler (2-1, 2.67)
Marquez had the misfortune of pitching opposite Jordan Lyles and his perfect-game bid Tuesday in San Diego, taking the loss after serving up a two-run homer to Eric Hosmer while allowing six hits over five innings. The 23-year-old Venezuelan is 2-2 with a 2.25 ERA on the road, but he has struggled out of the gate on a regular basis, posting a 13.50 ERA in the opening frame. Marquez made both of his career starts versus the Dodgers last year, giving up seven runs - five earned - over 10 innings in a pair of no-decisions.
Buehler encountered his first rough outing in five big-league turns Wednesday in Miami, failing to factor in the decision after surrendering five runs - four earned - while recording seven strikeouts in five innings. The native of Kentucky had not permitted more than two runs in any start prior to the outing, giving up a total of four in 22 frames while striking out 27. Buehler has not yielded a homer in either of his first two starts at Dodger Stadium, where he has gone 0-1 with a 1.64 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. Dodgers OF Matt Kemp is batting an NL-best .455 with runners in scoring position.
2. Colorado 3B Nolan Arenado has recorded a pair of two-hit performances and two three-hit efforts over his last six games - a stretch during which he is batting .423.
3. After hitting one home run in 88 at-bats prior to going on the disabled list at the end of April, Los Angeles OF Yasiel Puig has belted four in 33 at-bats since his return.