Colorado @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 17, 2014 ) Colorado 2, LA Dodgers 4

The Los Angeles Dodgers are beginning to hit their stride as they try for a three-game sweep of the visiting Colorado Rockies on Wednesday, and their recent play has coincided with the resurgence of Matt Kemp. The 2011 National League Most Valuable Player runner-up has hit .400 with 10 RBIs in his last 12 contests - including a homer in Los Angeles' 4-2 victory Tuesday - to help the Dodgers go 8-4 during that span and climb within five games of first-place San Francisco in the West. Los Angeles on Wednesday could be without shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who hit a two-run homer before leaving Tuesday's game with a right ring finger contusion.

Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki continued his MVP-caliber season with three hits Tuesday to raise his major league-leading average to .361, but the Rockies stranded 13 baserunners to fall to 15-23 on the road and remain nine games behind the Giants. After Wednesday, the Rockies - 19-14 at home - play 16 of their final 23 games prior to the All-Star break at Coors Field. Los Angeles' Clayton Kershaw has won three straight starts - including a dominating performance against Colorado - and opposes Jorge De La Rosa, who left his last game because of back tightness while continuing to work through a bruised middle left finger on his pitching hand.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Jorge De La Rosa (6-5, 4.12 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (6-2, 2.93)

De La Rosa left after three innings of Colorado's 7-4 victory at San Francisco on Friday, but was relieved after being worked on by the trainers."It felt like something was definitely really bad, but I came in (to the training room) and had some treatment, then I was better," the 33-year-old Mexican told reporters Saturday. De La Rosa is 3-9 with a 5.74 ERA in 18 games against Los Angeles, but 3-1 in his last four turns against the Dodgers, the loss coming against Kershaw on June 8.

Kershaw yielded one run and eight hits while striking out seven in seven innings of a 4-3 victory over Arizona on Friday. The 26-year-old Dallas native, who leads National League starters with 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings, has struck out 71 and walked eight in 55 1/3 innings this season. Kershaw is 11-5 with a 3.54 ERA in 24 starts against Colorado - 5-2, 1.58 in 11 turns at Dodger Stadium - after striking out nine in five innings of a rain-shortened 6-1 victory at Coors Field on June 8.

WALK-OFFS

1. Colorado went 12 consecutive innings without getting its leadoff man on base before Tulowitzki singled to start the sixth Tuesday.

2. Los Angeles LHP J.P. Howell on Tuesday allowed a run for the first time in 15 appearances covering 12 1/3 innings.

3. The Dodgers' Carlos Triunfel on Tuesday hit his first career home run and joined Ramirez as the only shortstops in Dodgers history to homer in the same game.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 3, Rockies 2