The Dodgers make their first trip of the year to Coors Field starting with tonight's 6:05pm start on KCAL. The Dodgers swept the Rockies last weekend at home, outscoring them 27-10 during the three-game series. I'm sure the Rockies will try to return the favor at their place.
Eric Stults, who has won both of his starts since being recalled from Albuquerque, gets the start for the Dodgers. With Stults and McDonald starting the first two games in Coors, the Dodger bullpen may get taxed this weekend. However, said bullpen will not have the services of Jeff Weaver, at least not yet, says Tony Jackson of the LA Daily News.
Aaron Cook, who was battered last Saturday at Dodger Stadium, looks to rebound from his poor start to the season. As reported by Troy Renck of the Denver Post, Cook believes he's about to turn the corner:
"I believe (the sink) is back. (Pitching coach Bob) Apodoca is seeing it in my side sessions," Cook said. "I know I am better than this. It's my job to give us a chance to win games."
Perhaps Cook is thinking back to the last time he faced the Dodgers in Coors Field, when he pitched eight scoreless innings on September 14.
James Loney, who has tatooed Rockies' pitching in his career, has loved Coors Field. However, even though Loney has 27 RBI in 19 games in Colorado, he has had an RBI in only six of those games. Loney's three best RBI games have come at Coors Field, including a Dodger record nine during a pennant race in 2006.
Fun fact of the day: the Dodgers lead all of baseball in defensive efficiency. Courtesy of Baseball Prospectus, defensive efficiency is simply "the rate at which balls put into play are converted into outs by a team's defense." So it hasn't all been the offense, or the pitching.
Get your game score guesses in here. Only predictions in that post will count.