The Los Angeles Dodgers bounced back from having their seven-game home winning streak and overall three-game winning streak snapped with a walk-off victory Tuesday night behind Trayce Thompson’s solo home run.
The win was coupled with a San Francisco Giants loss to the Boston Red Sox in extra innings, which has the Dodgers’ just three games back of their longtime rival for first place in the National League West. They meet for a series at AT&T Park beginning Friday.
First things first, as Kenta Maeda takes the mound with the three-game set against the Rockies hanging in the balance. Maeda has earned the win in back-to-back starts after struggling throughout much of May.
The 28 year old allowed just three hits over 6.1 scoreless innings against the Rockies at Coors Field on April 23. He carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and finished with a career-high eight strikeouts.
On the season, Maeda is 5-3 with a 2.84 ERA, 3.42 FIP, and 1.07 WHIP in 11 starts. Colorado hands the ball to Chris Rusin, who began the season as a relief pitcher. Rusin enters 1-4 with a 4.62 ERA, 3.22 FIP, and 1.42 WHIP in 11 games (six starts).
He’s 0-4 in six starts and has a 6.00 ERA and 1.79 WHIP in those games. Whether as a starter or reliever, he’s found more success on the road — 3.48 ERA over 31 innings pitched — as opposed to a 6.62 ERA in 17.2 innings at Coors Field.
Rusin has four total appearances against the Dodgers, including a relief appearance earlier this season. During the April 24 contest at Coors Field, he tossed 3.1 scoreless innings. Adrian Gonzalez is 3-for-7 with a double and walk against Rusin in his career.
Gonzalez is the lone left-handed batter in the Dodgers’ lineup Wednesday night. Kiké Hernandez starts at shortstop, which gives Corey Seager his first night off since April 16. Seager had started the past 28 games.
Dodgers lineup:
SS: Kiké Hernandez
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
CF: Trayce Thompson
RF: Scott Van Slyke
LF: Howie Kendrick
C: A.J. Ellis
2B: Austin Barnes
P: Kenta Maeda
Rockies lineup:
CF: Charlie Blackmon
2B: DJ LeMahieu
RF: Carlos Gonzalez
3B: Nolan Arenado
LF: Gerardo Parra
C: Nick Hundley
1B: Daniel Descalso
SS: Cristhian Adames
P: Chris Rusin
