Two Previews in One! Dodgers Play Double-Header in Denver

The Dodgers had a grand time in Denver on Monday night. The Dodger bats exploded for 11 runs on 18 hits in their 11-4 laugher over the Rockies. It’s been a while since we had one of those games and we really needed it. Clayton Kershaw contributed on both sides of the ball getting three hits, and winning his fourth game of the season. Andre Ethier homered to pass Matt Kemp on the Los Angeles Dodger’s all time RBI list. Howie Kendrick made several outstanding defensive plays and the Dodgers were victorious in the series opener. To make it a perfect night, the Bucs defeated the Giants 4-3 in San Francisco. The Dodgers increased their lead in the National League West back to 1.5 games over the evil ones.

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Today the Dodgers will be tested as they have to play a day/night double-header. This is a makeup of a rain out back on May 9. Since Brett Anderson is not starting there should be blue skies and sunny weather throughout both games.

Dodgers Lineup @ Colorado-Game 1

Pederson cf

Heisey rf

Gonzalez 1b

Kendrick 2b

Turner 3b

Guerrero lf

Hernandez ss

Barnes c

Ncasio p

Juan Nicasio-1-1 vs. Jorge De La Rosa-1-2

Game Time – 12:10 PM

We were unsure as to who would start the first game of the twin bill. At first the rumor was the Dodgers were going to call up rookie Zach Lee to make his major league debut, but then they quickly put the kibosh on that one. I have my doubts that Lee will ever see major league action. Doesn’t it seem like he’s been in the minors forever? There was another rumor it would be Joe Wieland, but that got shot down as well. 

Live Feed

Call to the Pen

Then we thought it would be left handed journeyman David Huff. But after he allowed two runs in the eighth inning on Monday, we figured it wouldn’t be him either. Huff was called up on Monday (Matt West was optioned and Carl Crawford was transferred to his second home, the 60-day DL), and my guess is he might be called upon for one of the games. After Monday night’s game we found out who the mysterious starter would be. So the Dodgers announced that the starter will be none other than former Rockie Juan Nicasio. Sad trombone? I guess we’ll find out.

Nicasio has had a pretty solid season pitching as a swingman out of the Dodger bullpen this season. Nicasio is 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA in 16 games. He has only allowed three earned runs and has whiffed 28 and walked 11 in 21 innings. He has a 2.00 FIP, and has whiffed 12.0 batters per nine.

Nicasio pitched for Colorado from 2011-2014, primarily as a starting pitcher. He made as many as 31 starts for Colorado in 2013. His last start was back on June 15 of last season, so he hasn’t started a game in about a year. Nicasio is 13-9 with a 5.24 ERA at Coors Field. The right hander has a 1.17 ERA away from Dodger Stadium.

Colorado is batting .257 (9 for 25) with one home run against Nicasio. Colorado catcher Nick Hundley is hitting .308 (4 for 13) with the lone home run against Nicasio.

Colorado will counter with familiar foe left hander Jorge De La Rosa. It seems like we see him like a hundred times per year. De La Rosa has struggled and is 1-2 with a 6.51 ERA this season. However he has whiffed 31 in 27 frames, and allowed just two home runs. The Dodgers have seen him twice this year already, and he is 1-0 with a no-decision. The last time they faced him, he threw 7.1 shutout innings and allowed just two hits in a 7-1 Colorado win. De La Rosa is 6-10 with a 5.41 ERA against the Dodgers. At Coors Field he is 45-15 with a 4.81 ERA.

The Dodgers are batting .213 (34 for 160) with four home runs and 22 runs batted in against him. Adrian Gonzalez is hitting .370 (17 for 46) with six doubles, and three home runs versus De La Rosa. Howie Kendrick is 5 for 11.

In the second game which will start at 5:40, the Dodgers will send Zack Greinke to the mound. Colorado has not announced their starter for game 2 yet.

Dodgers Lineup @ Colorado-TBA Game 2

Zack Greinke-5-1 vs. TBA

Game Time – 5:40 PM

Greinke is 5-1 with a 1.48 ERA in ten starts this season. He has a league leading 0.866 WHIP, and has allowed just 5.9 hits per nine innings. However since starting the season 5-0 he is is 0-1 with three no-decisions in his last four starts. His last win came back on May 5 against Milwaukee. Probably because the Dodgers are not scoring any runs for him. In his last three starts the Dodgers have scored one run, two runs, and two runs. Last week he threw six frames, and allowed one run on three hits and struck out nine. He still got a no-decision in a 3-2 Dodger loss to Atlanta.

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Greinke is 22-2 versus NL West teams. The bird like right hander has consistently dominated the Rockies over his career. Against the Rockies he is 7-3 with a 3.44 ERA, and at Coors Field he is 2-0 with a 3.58 ERA. Colorado is batting .253 (45 for 178) with four home runs and a .675 OPS against. Carlos Gonzalez has done most of the damage with Troy Tulowitzki getting an assist. Cargo is hitting .318 (7 for 22) with three home runs off of Greinke. Mullet man is batting .303 (10 for 33).

I’ll be at work during the first game, but I can watch some of the action on my lunch break. So Stacie will call the first game, with Jason picking up the nightcap. Stacie hasn’t been feeling well of late, so she’ll be on a strict word count. No more than 100 words through the first six innings. If she falters Adrian will be called on from the bullpen to relieve. As for Jason, he’s coming off the bench to call the second game, and we’re hoping to get at least seven solid innings out of him.

You get two Dodger games for the price of one. What more can you ask for on a random weekday? Enjoy the games guys!

Go Blue!