Colorado @ Los Angeles preview
Dodger Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 8, 2010 ) Colorado 8, LA Dodgers 0
Ubaldo Jimenez looks to continue his unbelievable start when he puts his unbeaten record on the line against the Los Angeles Dodgers this afternoon.
The Colorado Rockies right-hander has been the best pitcher in the game this season. Jimenez is 6-0 with a major league-leading 0.87 earned-run average and has 44 strikeouts in 41 1/3 innings.
Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay (6-1, 1.45 ERA) is the only other pitcher with six wins but even he hasn’t been as dominant as Jimenez, who has allowed just 26 hits and no-hit the Atlanta Braves on April 17.
Jimenez actually gave up a run in his last start for the first time since April 11. He held the San Diego Padres to one run and four hits while striking out a career-best 13 in seven innings.
Jimenez, though, hasn’t had a lot of success against the Dodgers. He has a 5-3 career mark but his ERA is 5.84 and he has given up 40 earned runs in 61 2/3 innings.
Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp has a .409 career average against Jimenez and catcher Russell Martin has a .364 career mark.
Red-hot right fielder Andre Ethier is at a modest .269 against Jimenez but is currently one of the hottest hitters in baseball.
Ethier went 3-for-3 on Saturday and is 17-for-32 (.531) with five homers and 15 RBIs in his last eight games. Ethier is hitting .394, best in the majors.
Left fielder Manny Ramirez is back with the Dodgers after a stint on the disabled list because of a calf injury. However, Ramirez is just 1-for-12 (.083) against Jimenez.
In his first game back in the lineup Saturday, Ramirez went 1-for-4. Xavier Paul was sent down to make room for Ramirez.
With Paul gone and normal leadoff hitter Rafael Furcal (hamstring) on the DL, Martin batted leadoff Saturday and went 1-for-4.
Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw (1-2) is coming off a horrific outing that saw his ERA balloon to 4.99.
The left-hander lasted just 1 1/3 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 4, giving up seven runs and five hits in an 11-6 loss.
Kershaw had pitched well in four straight starts prior to the poor outing. He has fanned 26 batters in 30 2/3 innings.
In eight career starts against Colorado, Kershaw is 2-3 with a 4.71 ERA.
Colorado left fielder Carolos Gonzalez has five RBIs in the series, including a three-run triple in the Rockies’ win Saturday. Gonzalez has driven in 18 runs over the last 11 games and has a team-best 25 RBIs and is hitting .318.