The Los Angeles Dodgers offense has hit the skids through the first two games at Coors Field, and now the team has to pull themselves off the mat against left-hander Tyler Anderson. The Colorado Rockies enter Sunday’s matchup in position to complete a series sweep.
Like clockwork, a lefty on the mound means the Dodgers counter by stacking their lineup with a bevy of right-handed hitters. Logan Forsythe returns at second base and hits leadoff, Franklin Gutierrez starts in left field and bats cleanup, Kiké Hernandez starts in center field and Austin Barnes is behind the plate.
Corey Seager and Adrian Gonzalez, who was dropped to sixth, is the Dodgers’ lone left-handed batter in the lineup. On the mound, Los Angeles hands the ball to Kenta Maeda for his second start of the season.
The 28-year-old didn’t have an ideal first outing against the San Diego Padres. He allowed three runs on six hits and issued two walks in just five innings of work in a 5-0 loss.
Although the Padres did push across three runs, there wasn’t much solid contact made against Maeda outside of the home run. His command was a little shaky in the first inning, which Maeda explained was due the excitement of his first start of the season.
The right-hander went 2-2 with a 1.90 ERA in four starts against the Rockies last season, including a 2-1 mark and 2.12 in three games at Coors Field. Overall against Colorado, he allowed just five runs, walked three and collected 28 strikeouts in 23.2 innings pitched.
Anderson allowed five runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings in his 2017 debut. He still was credited with a win, thanks in large part to the Rockies providing plenty of run support.
Anderson made three starts last season against the Dodgers, going 2-0 with a 1.83 ERA. Anderson’s repertoire is comprised of a four-seam fastball that tops out around 93 mph, and includes a changeup, cutter and a rarely-throw sinker and curveball.
The young lefty enters a lifetime 5-2, with a 3.00 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 12 starts at Coors Field. That’s compared to an 1-4 record and 5.14 ERA in eight road starts.
Justin Turner is 6-for-9 with a double and home run off Anderson, Gonzalez is 3-for-9 with a double, and Corey Seager is 3-for-10 with a triple.
Sunday’s matchup is the second of 10 SportsNet LA simulcasts on KTLA. First pitch at Coors Field is set for 12:10 p.m. PT.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Logan Forsythe
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
LF: Franklin Gutierrez
RF: Yasiel Puig
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
CF: Kiké Hernandez
C: Austin Barnes
P: Kenta Maeda
Rockies lineup:
CF: Charlie Blackmon
LF: Gerardo Parra
RF: Carlos Gonzalez
3B: Nolan Arenado
SS: Trevor Story
1B: Mark Reynolds
2B: Alexi Amarista
C: Tony Wolters
P: Tyler Anderson
