By defeating the Colorado Rockies the series opener on Friday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to 20 wins this season as they maintain a comfortable lead in the National League West standings.
The San Diego Padres kept pace but are still four games back of the Dodgers, and the Rockies fell to six games out of first place in the division. L.A. has won nine of their past 10 games, while Colorado is mired in a five-game losing streak.
They look to end the skid with Kyle Freeland on the mound. The southpaw has turned in a quality start in each of his five outings this season and is rebounding from a disastrous 2019 campaign that saw him demoted to Triple-A at one point.
The Rockies have won four of five starts made by Freeland, who enters 2-1 with a 2.56 ERA. He’s a 2-4 lifetime against the Dodgers, and has a 3.96 ERA and is winless in five starts at Dodger Stadium.
For the Dodgers, Dustin May looks to keep the momentum going for the starting rotation. Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler each set a season high with 11 strikeouts over the past two games. May’s 2020 high is eight, set against the San Diego Padres on Aug. 4.
The rookie pitched to mix results his last time out, holding the L.A. Angels to just two runs but allowing seven hits in 4.2 innings. May likely would have pitched deeper into the game if it weren’t for a Max Muncy error on a potential inning-ending double play that led to May laboring for the third out.
Though, May also struggled some with his command. “Just staying in the zone is probably my biggest thing, and being able to put the fastball on both sides of the plate and kind of play off that,” he said after the start.
“It wasn’t really going to either side of the plate; it was a lot of middle-middle pitches. It was still getting weak contact but not much swing and miss on it as all.”
Mookie Betts is back in the Dodgers lineup after receiving what manager Dave Roberts referred to as a “spa day.” Justin Turner is the designated hitter, which has Max Muncy playing third base. The domino effect reaches to Cody Bellinger and AJ Pollock, who are at first base and center field, respectively.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
SS: Corey Seager
DH: Justin Turner
CF: AJ Pollock
1B: Cody Bellinger
LF: Chris Taylor
3B: Max Muncy
2B: Kiké Hernandez
C: Austin Barnes
Rockies lineup
LF: Raimel Tapia
SS: Trevor Story
DH: Charlie Blackmon
3B: Nolan Arenado
1B: Daniel Murphy
2B: Ryan McMahon
CF: Garrett Hampson
RF: Sam Hilliard
C: Tony Wolters
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