Rockies Game Preview: 6/1

     The calendar now says June and the Rockies are getting ready to make some noise in the National League and make a push for their first division crown in team history. The Rockies have faltered as of late but thankfully nobody in the West has been able to run away with the division so they are still in striking distance. They will have to put their struggles behind them and start fresh in order to move past this cold spell they have been in. They are coming off an extra inning loss to the Dodgers last night but they fought back from a 5-0 deficit against the best pitcher in baseball in Clayton Kershaw so that should provide some momentum going forward. 

     The Rockies are sending Jhoulys Chacin to the mound today to take on the Dodgers offense. Chacin is 3-3 on the year with a 3.90 ERA. He pitched well in his last start against the Astros but was unable to come away with the victory as the game went into 12 innings and was eventually won by the Astros. His line for that game was seven innings pitched, five hits, two runs, one walk and he struck out nine batters on the day. Chacin has been mediocre at home this year and has a 2-2 record with a 4.83 ERA in five starts at Coors Field this year. Current Dodgers have hit Chacin pretty well and in 100 at bats against him those players have hit for a .314 average with four home runs and 15 RBI. Despite their success, he boasts a 6-5 career record against the Dodgers with a 3.15 ERA. 

     Zach Greinke will be the pitcher that faces the Rockies today and on the year he has a 2-1 record with a 4.38 ERA. Greinke is 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA since returning to the Dodgers from the disabled list from a broken collarbone that he suffered when Carlos Quentin of the Padres charged the mound after being hit by a Greinke pitch. In two games started on the road this year, he has an 0-1 record with a 7.00 ERA. In those starts opponents are hitting .368 against him. The Rockies have not done well against Greinke in prior math ups as he has held them to a minuscule .187 average with just one home run and nine RBI in 91 combined at bats. In his career against the Rockies he is 1-1 with a 4.88 ERA.

     The Dodgers lineup for this afternoons game is as follows:

1. Carl Crawford, LF 

2. Mark Ellis, 2B

3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B

4. Andre Ethier, RF

5. Jerry Hairston Jr, 3B

6. Skip Schumaker, CF

7. Nick Punto, SS

8. Tim Federowicz, C

9. Zach Greinke, P

     The Rockies lineup for today's game is as follows:

1. Dexter Fowler, CF

2. DJ LeMahieu, 2B

3. Carlos Gonzalez, LF

4. Troy Tulowitzki, SS

5. Michael Cuddyer, RF

6. Todd Helton, 1B

7. Nolan Arenado, 3B

8. Yorvit Torrealba, C

9. Jhoulys Chacin, P 

     First pitch for the game today is scheduled for 2:10 PM Mountain time.