Dodgers at Rockies
With Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton
Kershaw landing on the disabled list for the second time this season, Walker
Buehler quickly has assumed a major role in the team’s injury-plagued rotation.
The star rookie takes the mound again Saturday as the Dodgers continue their three-game road series against the National League West-leading Colorado Rockies.
The Dodgers won for the 11th time in 15 games on Friday as Matt Kemp, Chris Taylor and Yasiel Puig each homered en route to an 11-8 victory. Puig collected four hits and Taylor recorded four RBIs for Los Angeles, which will be without Kershaw for the next 4-5 weeks as the three-time Cy Young Award winner went down Thursday with a lower back strain. Colorado fell to 4-3 on its nine-game homestand despite another strong performance from Nolan Arenado, who belted his 12th home run and is 9-for-26 with four blasts and nine RBIs over his last seven games. DJ LeMahieu returned from the disabled list and tied a career high with four hits in his first game since May 14.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FOX
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Walker Buehler (3-1, 2.20 ERA) vs. Rockies RH German Marquez (4-5, 4.21)
Buehler has been as good as advertised, allowing fewer than three earned runs in six of his seven starts while recording 48 strikeouts over 41 innings. The 23-year-old earned the victory against San Diego on Sunday, allowing one run and four hits with eight strikeouts over seven frames. Buehler was equally dominant in his previous start against Colorado on May 21, when he gave up one run and two hits in seven innings.
Marquez won his second straight start on Sunday against Cincinnati, allowing one run and five hits with six strikeouts in an 8-2 victory. The 23-year-old Venezuelan has posted a 2.06 ERA in six road turns compared to a 7.54 mark in five outings at Coors Field. Cody Bellinger is 1-for-9 against Marquez, who produced a 3.34 ERA in five starts last month and has gone 1-0 with a 3.18 mark in three career outings against the Dodgers.
WALK-OFFS1. The Dodgers recalled RHP Brock Stewart from Triple-A Oklahoma City to fill Kershaw’s roster spot.
2. Colorado placed OF David Dahl on the disabled list with a broken right foot.
3. Kemp leads all active players with 43 home runs, 196 hits, 43 doubles, 111 runs scored and 145 RBIs against the Rockies.