On the losing end of Friday’s slugfest at Coors Field, the Los Angeles Dodgers look to redeem themselves in the third of a four-game series with the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
Friday’s loss was hardly consequential for the Dodgers, who continue to boast the best record in all of baseball at 56-28. Having posted a 7-3 record over their last 10 games, they additionally hold a 12-game lead over the second-place Rockies, who are just 5-5 during that span.
A combined 42 runs have been scored over the first two games of the series, but that looks to change on Saturday when the Dodgers and Rockies send their respective aces to the mound.
Clayton Kershaw makes his 14th start and looks for better results this time around. In his last outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he allowed a season-high four runs on seven hits over six innings of work.
The left-hander enters with a 7-1 record, 3.07 ERA, 3.78 FIP and 1.07 WHIP in 85 innings pitched this season. An excellent start could solidify a potential spot on Dave Roberts’ National League All-Star pitching staff.
Saturday marks Kershaw’s first start against the Rockies this season. He has fared well against them over the course of his career, having accumulated a 22-7 record, 3.16 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 248 innings pitched (40 starts).
The three-time Cy Young Award winner has struggled a bit at Coors Field, however, posting a 4.57 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 126 frames (21 starts).
Colorado counters with Jon Gray, who is in the midst of an excellent start. He has allowed just one run over his last 12 innings of work — a span that includes starts against a pair of NL West rivals in the Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants.
The right-hander enters with an 8-5 record this season, having pitched to a 3.92 ERA, 4.07 FIP and 1.35 WHIP in 96.1 innings (17 games, 16 starts). He last faced the Dodgers on April 6 at Dodger Stadium, where he allowed five runs on eight hits in six innings of work.
In his career against Los Angeles, Gray is 3-5 with a 4.98 ERA and 1.56 WHIP over 59.2 innings pitched (12 starts). While Coors Field is typically a hitters haven, the 27-year-old owns a solid 3-1 record, 3.47 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in seven appearances there this season.
Edwin Rios has made a pair of pinch-hit appearances in each of the past two games and now receives his first career start.
Dodgers lineup:
LF: Joc Pederson
CF: Alex Verdugo
3B: Justin Turner
RF: Cody Bellinger
2B: Max Muncy
1B: Edwin Rios
SS: Kiké Hernandez
C: Austin Barnes
P: Clayton Kershaw
Rockies lineup:
RF: Charlie Blackmon
LF: Raimel Tapia
3B: Nolan Arenado
CF: Ian Desmond
1B: Mark Reynolds
2B: Garrett Hampson
SS: Pat Valaika
C: Tony Wolters
P: Jon Gray
