The Colorado Rockies are looking to get back on track as they begin a three game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night at Coors Field. The Rockies faltered in their series with the Astros as they lost three of four against them and looked rather pedestrian throughout the entire series. The Rockies will have a tough time as they are facing the Dodgers three best pitchers in Clayton Kershaw, Zach Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu. The Rockies will be countering with Jon Garland, Jhoulys Chacin and Jorge De La Rosa.
Jon Garland will have the task of taking on the Dodgers offense as they play tonight. Garland is 3-6 on the year with a 5.53 ERA. He has been rather unimpressive in the month of May and he will be happy when the calendar flips over to June. Garland has lost four consecutive starts and has allowed at least seven hits and three earned runs in each of those starts. He has failed to go longer than five innings in four of his last five starts. At this point, Garland may be pitching to save his spot in the rotation with the emergence of Tyler Chatwood and the possible call up in the future of Drew Pomeranz who has posted very good numbers at the AAA level. At home this year Garland has a 3-2 record with a 5.40 ERA. He has done very well in his career when he has matched up with the current hitters on the Dodgers team. Dodgers hitters have combined for 192 at bats and managed only 17 extra base hits and 23 RBI. He has held them to a career .229 average. If Garland will be successful tonight he will have to keep the ball on the ground. When he induces ground balls then his potential for victory increases dramatically. If he leaves the ball up in the zone then he will be in for a long night.
Clayton Kershaw is one of the premier pitchers in the entire game of baseball. At just 25, Kershaw has been to two all star games and has a Cy Young award under his belt which he won in 2011. Kershaw has had some tough luck this year and has not gotten the run support that he has needed to get the victories. On the year he is 5-3 with a major league best 1.68 ERA. In seven games started on the road, Kershaw has a 1-1 record with a 2.22 ERA. The Rockies are very familiar with Kershaw as he is a division foe and they have actually hit Kershaw fairly well in his career. Dexter Fowler has had Kershaw's number in career match ups as Fowler is hitting .400 going 12-30 with four walks and seven strikeouts. Kershaw is beatable, but you have to take advantage of the chances that he allows you, because those chances do not come very often.
The Dodgers lineup for tonight's game is as follows:
1. Mark Ellis, 2B
2. Andre Ethier, RF
3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
4. Ramon Hernandez, C
5. Scott Van Slyke, LF
6. Skip Schumaker, CF
7. Luis Cruz, SS
8. Juan Uribe, 3B
9. Clayton Kershaw, P
The Rockies lineup for tonight's game is as follows:
1. Eric Young Jr, LF
2. Dexter Fowler, CF
3. Troy Tulowitzki, SS
4. Michael Cuddyer, RF
5. Wilin Rosario, C
6. Jordan Pacheco, 1B
7. Nolan Arenado, 3B
8. DJ LeMahieu, 2B
9. Jon Garland, P
First pitch for tonight's game is at 6:40 PM Mountain time.
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