Colorado @ Los Angeles preview
Dodger Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 17, 2010 ) Colorado 7, LA Dodgers 5
The Colorado Rockies are on the verge of yet another huge September comeback.
They will be looking to move one step closer when they take on the stumbling Los Angeles Dodgers again on Saturday.
In both of the Rockies’ most recent playoff seasons - 2007 and 2009 - they used big September surges to come from way back to steal a spot in the postseason. This season looks to be no different as Colorado has reeled off a 10-game winning streak at the beginning of the month and won its last two to make the NL West a three-team showdown.
With the Atlanta Braves currently leading the wild card race, it is looking likely that the San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres and Colorado are all fighting for one spot. Both the Giants and the Padres lost on Friday, leaving San Francisco (83-65) with a one-half game lead over San Diego (82-65) and a 1 1/2-game lead over the Rockies (81-66).
Troy Tulowitzki sparked Friday’s 7-5 victory with a two-run homer in the first inning and Todd Helton added four hits to give Ubaldo Jiminez his 19th win.
The loss was the 11th in 15 games for the Dodgers this month as they play out the string. The biggest headlines for Los Angeles are now coming off the field as manager Joe Torre announced on Friday that he will be stepping down after the season and handing over the job to bench coach Don Mattingly.
Jhoulys Chacin will get the call for the Rockies on Saturday. The rookie right-hander has been opening a lot of eyes with his pitching of late, going 3-0 while allowing two earned runs or less in each of his last five outings. One problem has been a lack of command at times, which has kept him from working deep into games.
Chacin, 22, was pulled after just four innings and four walks on Sunday despite not allowing an earned run. He issued four walks when he faced the Dodgers on Aug. 28, but still managed to last seven innings while surrendering just one run and four hits to pick up the win.
In five career appearances - four starts - against Los Angeles, Chacin owns a 2-2 record with a 3.60 ERA and 13 walks allowed in 25 total innings.
The Dodgers will counter with fellow rookie John Ely.
Not nearly as highly-touted as Chacin, Ely has bounced back and forth from the minors to the majors this season, getting recalled last weekend to make a start at the Houston Astros after a two-month tour of Triple-A. The right-hander allowed three runs and six hits in six innings against the Astros, but did not factor in the decision.
He has never faced Colorado.