Los Angeles Dodgers vs Colorado Rockies, Series Preview

April 19, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Scott Van Slyke (33) celebrates the 7-0 victory against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Fresh off a doubleheader sweep at the hands of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Colorado Rockies look to right the ship and end a seven-game losing streak this weekend against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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The Colorado Rockies have been playing some bad baseball, to be sure. A seven-game losing streak, combined with losing 13 of their last 17 games, and an 11-15 record gave the Rox the cellar in the NL West by May 6th.

After getting swept in a doubleheader on Wednesday by the Diamondbacks, Rockies fans are justifiably frustrated. So what will make it all better? Let’s have the National League West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers come to town, throwing two of the best arms in baseball at the Rockies! Yay!

Here are the probable pitchers for this weekend’s three-game set, plus some notes in our series preview:

DATES, TIMES, AND PITCHERS

Friday, May 8, 6:40 pm
Eddie Butler (2-2, 3.81) vs. Brett Anderson (1-1, 4.21)

Saturday, May 9, 6:10 pm
Jorge De La Rosa (0-2, 9.00) vs. Clayton Kershaw (1-2, 3.72)

Sunday, May 10, 2:10 pm
Kyle Kendrick (1-4, 8.73) vs. Zack Greinke (5-0, 1.56)

KEYS FOR THE ROCKIES

End the losing streak.

The Dodgers come in leading the division, and they’re a great team – they swept the Rockies in Los Angeles a couple weeks ago – so this series will be a tough one for the Rockies to break their seven-game losing streak, especially considering the fact Kershaw and Greinke will throw in two of the three games.

Every series, we’ve mentioned how important it is for the Rockies’ starters to throw x amount of innings, or for the bats to do this and that, or for so-and-so to show up and play well, but the bottom line now is a victory.

The season doesn’t completely implode if the Dodgers sweep Colorado this weekend, but three more games lacking life and fight will show you exactly who the 2015 Rockies will be the rest of the way.

Whomever, however, whatever it takes… end the losing streak. I’d love to win two out of three this weekend against the boys in blue, but… let’s not get greedy.

KEY NUMBER

Seven.

Rockies fans get tacos every time the Rockies score more than seven runs. Unfortunately, that’s happened exactly twice this year; in the Opening Day victory and again Wednesday in a blowout at the hands of the Diamondbacks.

We talk a lot about pitching, and that’s always an issue, and it will be again this weekend, but the hitters need to figure it out against good pitching if the Rockies stand a chance this weekend. That’s doubly true for Friday night’s game against Brett Anderson since the Rockies will face aces Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke on Saturday and Sunday.

Let’s Meet The Dodgers

Yasiel Puig is on a rehab assignment in the minor leagues and will not be around this series.

Alex Guerrero won National League Rookie of the Month in April. Pretty good for a guy who six weeks ago didn’t have a position on the big league roster.

Joc Pederson’s tearing it up; his last seven hits have been home runs, including two solo home runs Wednesday in Milwaukee.

Juan Nicasio has found a home in middle relief in the Dodgers bullpen. Can’t say we’re sad to see him gone, but it is good to see an old friend doing well in a new home.

Speaking of that Dodgers bullpen, Kenley Jansen is progressing in his rehab assignment, but the Rockies probably won’t see him either. That means, despite seeing three good starting pitchers this weekend, there might be an opportunity for the Rockies to run through the Dodger bullpen. Yimi Garcia has been throwing well in his place, though.

Adrian Gonzalez is playing like an MVP candidate, but we’ve already seen that. What else is new?

The Dodgers have starting pitching problems, but it’s just the Rockies’ luck that the two questionable spots in the Dodger rotation don’t come up at Coors Field this weekend. Because, of course.

More from Rox Pile

I’m writing this before the Dodgers’ Thursday afternoon game in Milwaukee, but the boys in blue dropped two of the first three to one of the worst teams in baseball earlier this week. Geez, boys: even the Rockies swept the lowly Brewers.

After this weekend series, both the Rockies and Dodgers head to Los Angeles. The Rockies will face the Angels in Anaheim on Tuesday and Wednesday before seeing the Dodgers for four more next weekend at Dodger Stadium.

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