The Los Angeles Dodgers have scored a combined nine runs their last two games but it’s not been enough to stop a losing streak that now sits at nine games. It’s the Dodgers’ worst skid in the past 25 seasons.
They conclude their homestand needing a win against the Colorado Rockies to avoid being swept in a second consecutive series and for a third time in their past four series. If there’s any silver lining for the Dodgers, the Arizona Diamondbacks have dropped back-to-back games.
So Los Angeles enters Sunday’s series finale still leading the National League West by 10 games and their magic number to clinch the division down to 11, with just 20 games remaining this season.
Rich Hill takes the mound for a third time since the Dodgers entered their free fall. He’s coming off a strong outing against the Diamondbacks in which he allowed just two runs on two hits over six innings.
Hill has yet to see the Rockies this season and faces them for the first time since 2008. The 37-year-old owns a 9-7 record, to pair with a 3.67 ERA, 114 ERA+ and 1.15 WHIP this season. Hill is 5-4 with a 3.15 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 11 starts at Dodger Stadium.
With All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado already deeming a win against Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers arguably the Rockies’ biggest this season, a series sweep would punctuate matters for the Wild Card hopefuls. As such, Tyler Chatwood starts for only the third time in his past 10 games.
He began the season in the rotation but was moved into the bullpen in late July. The 27-year-old pitched three scoreless innings against the San Francisco Giants in his last start. Chatwood has allowed just one run in 8.2 innings but has walked seven batters during that stretch.
The right-hander hasn’t fared particularly well against the Dodgers this season. During a May 12 start at Coors Field, he surrendered five runs on six hits and four walks in just 4.1 innings pitched. He then faced them June 24 at Dodger Stadium, and allowed four runs on three hits and issued a career-high eight walks in just 3.1 innings.
In 13 career starts against the Dodgers, Chatwood is 4-8 with a 4.27 ERA and 1.58 WHIP. Overall this season, he’s 6-12 to go along with a 4.88 ERA, 102 ERA+, and 1.48 WHIP. Andre Ethier, who hit his first home run of the season on Saturday, makes his third start of the year.
Ethier is a lifetime 7-for-18 off Chatwood, with three doubles and one RBI. Corey Seager is 4-for-14 with one double, one home run and three RBI.
Chris Taylor, Seager, Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger are in the lineup, in that order, for a second straight game. Saturday was the first time that held true since Aug. 19. They went a combined 3-for-16 with three runs scored, one RBI and three walks in the 6-5 loss.
Dodgers lineup:
CF: Chris Taylor
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Cody Bellinger
C: Austin Barnes
RF: Curtis Granderson
2B: Logan Forsythe
LF: Andre Ethier
P: Rich Hill
Rockies lineup:
CF: Charlie Blackmon
2B: DJ LeMahieu
3B: Nolan Arenado
SS: Trevor Story
RF: Carlos Gonzalez
1B: Mark Reynolds
LF: Raimel Tapia
P: Tyler Chatwood
C: Tony Wolters
