One team’s winning streak is about to end on Friday as the Colorado Rockies pay Dodger Stadium a visit for their first three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers this season. The Rockies are currently on top of the NL West with a 7-2 record, while the Dodgers are right behind them with a 6-3 slate. Which team will take the series opener? Read on for more about this game below. You can also click here for Game 1 of the White Sox-Tigers series.
[sc:MLBArticles ]Colorado Rockies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Preview
Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
When: Friday, April 17, 2015, 10:10 PM ET
Line: Colorado Rockies (+220) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (-260); total: 6.5 – view all MLB lines
Betting on the Colorado Rockies
Batting was supposed to be Colorado’s only true strength heading into the 2015 season and not their pitching. But after a three-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants, ending in a 4-2 victory on Wednesday, it looks like they’re proving to be more than just a prolific offensive team. They’re also a team with a pitching staff to reckon with.
[sc:MLB240banner ]Colorado, which is already 6-0 on the road this season, is currently eighth in the majors in runs with 45. The team is led by third baseman Nolan Arenado, who’s swinging the bat well since the start of the season. He is batting .324 on the season and is the team’s current leader in homers (3) and RBIs (10). He might get upstaged, however, by Nick Hundley in the series opener, as he has a career batting average of .333 (9-for-29) against Clayton Kershaw.
The Rockies are also second in ERA (2.41) and ninth in WHIP (1.16). Against Kershaw on Friday and the Dodgers’ combustible offense behind the lefty, the Rockies will have to be as sharp on the mound as they are at the plate.
Colorado will give the ball to Kyle Kendrick (1-1, 6.00 ERA) in the series opener against LA. Kendrick is looking to bounce back after picking up his first loss of the season on April 11, when he allowed eight earned runs in five innings of mound duty. Kendrick’s teams are 3-1 in his last four road starts.
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Betting on the Los Angeles Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw isn’t pitching like Clayton Kershaw of late. That sounds trouble for the Dodgers, but it’ll take more than a couple of bad outings to lose hope on the three-time Cy Young Award winner. Kershaw will look to get his first win of the season again as he looks to help the team extend their win streak to five games when he faces the upstart Rockies at home.
The Dodgers are coming off a 5-2 win over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday for their first series sweep of the season. In that game, five Dodgers pitchers joined forces to limit Seattle’s offense down to just one earned run on eight hits.
Kershaw wants to be just as good in the series opener against Colorado after a couple of underwhelming performances to start the season. In his latest start, Kershaw pitched for six innings and got three earned runs on six hits, albeit in the Dodgers’ 6-3 win over the San Diego Padres on April 6, to bring his ERA to 4.50. The Dodgers have been nearly unbeatable when Kershaw is on the mound against Colorado, as they are 15-5 in the left-hander’s last 20 starts opposite the Rockies. In addition, Kershaw is 7-1 with a 1.69 ERA in the last nine meetings.
On offense, the Dodgers are benefiting from the mammoth season Adrian Gonzalez is currently having. Gonzalez is batting .528/.595/1.111 thus far this season and if his previous at-bats against Kendrick are any indication, then Chavez Ravine may witness another good game from the 32-year-old first baseman. Gonzalez is 4-for-12 (.333) with two doubles, an RBI, and three walks in his career versus Kendrick.
Writer’s Prediction
The Dodgers (-260) win, 5-3.
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