Rockies at Dodgers
Despite holding a commanding advantage in the National League West, the Los Angeles Dodgers are in the middle of a forgettable stretch to what has been a mostly memorable season. The Dodgers may have boosted their spirits with a comeback road victory Sunday and will try to carry it over to the beginning of a six-game homestand Monday when they play the first of three contests against the fading Colorado Rockies.
Los Angeles avoided a four-game sweep in Arizona over the weekend as Cody Bellinger tied the game in the ninth inning with a solo shot before Joc Pederson swatted his 28th home run of the season in the 11th inning en route to a 4-3 victory. Although they own an 18-game division lead, the Dodgers are only 4-6 in their last 10 and dealing with a bit of adversity as All-Star infielder Max Muncy landed on the injured list with a wrist fracture Thursday, while rookie pitcher Dustin May was hit in the head by a line drive Sunday. Los Angeles will try to improve on its NL-best home record (52-18) against Colorado, which has dropped 10 of the 13 meetings between the clubs this season despite making only one visit to Dodger Stadium. Colorado continued its freefall against Pittsburgh on Sunday, losing a sixth consecutive contest to fall to 2-12 over its last 14 games.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Peter Lambert (2-5, 6.63 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Walker Buehler (11-3, 3.03)
Lambert is winless in his last 13 starts and finished August 0-3 with a 8.16 ERA after yielding five runs over 4 1/3 innings in a loss to Boston on Wednesday. The 22-year-old rookie issued 18 walks and only struck out 13 in 28 2/3 frames last month, and he only has two quality starts since making his major-league debut June 6. Lambert gave up a total of five homers and eight runs over 9 2/3 innings but did not factor into the decision in either of his previous turns against the Dodgers.
Buehler has not allowed a run in three of his last four outings but only has one win to show for it, which came during an 11-strikeout performance Tuesday in San Diego after allowing four hits and two walks over six innings. The Vanderbilt product has permitted one earned run or fewer in 13 of his 25 outings and struck out at least 11 in five of his last 14 turns, including a career-high 16 on June 21 against Colorado. Buehler is 3-1 with a 3.59 ERA in 13 career appearances (nine starts) versus the Rockies.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pederson's blast gave the Dodgers their NL-best 238th home run of the season, breaking last year's franchise record of 235.
2. Colorado 3B Nolan Arenado is batting .452 with four multi-hit games during an eight-game hitting streak.
3. May reportedly passed a concussion test, while Muncy expects to miss only about two weeks.