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The Dodgers send Hiroki Kuroda to the mound tonight, trying for his first career win against the Rockies. Last week when Kuroda pitched against Detroit, the Dodgers kept hitting balls off the opposing starter Rick Porcello like a pinball machine. Then, earlier today, David Huff of the Indians took a line drive off the head in New York against the Yankees. All these moments take me back to last August, when Kuroda took a line drive off his head in Arizona, reminders of just how scary it is out there on the mound.
On the mound, Kuroda hasn't had much success in his career against Colorado. He has made four starts, and has given up at least four runs in each game, giving up a total of 19 runs in 23 1/3 innings. With Manny Ramirez and Garret Anderson starting at the corners in baseball's largest outfield, Kuroda needs to keep the ball on the ground tonight.
The Dodgers face Aaron Cook. Last season the Dodgers won all three games against Colorado started by Cook, piling up 23 hits, 11 walks, and 12 runs in 14 innings. In his career, Cook is 5-7 with a 4.25 ERA in 21 career games (16 starts) against the Dodgers.
Cook has given a hard time to Rafael Furcal (six hits in 31 AB, .194/.242/.194) and Russell Martin (one hit in 18 AB, .056/.143/.056). That would explain why Martin was given today as a rare day off. Manny Ramirez is five for 14 with two home runs off Cook, hitting ..357/.400/.786.
Vicente Padilla, who was allegedly involved in an incident this morning in Denver, did pitch in his scheduled simulated game at Coors Field today, per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.
Milestone for Manny
The home run last night by Manny Ramirez not only gave the Dodgers the lead, but also broke a tie with Mike Schmidt on the all-time home run list. Ramirez now has 549 career home runs, good for 14th place all-time. Prior to last night, Ramirez last hit a home run on April 18. The span of 19 games without a home run was the fourth-longest stretch of Manny's career.
Lineups
| Dodgers | Rockies | |||
| SS | Furcal |
CF | Gonzalez | |
| RF | Anderson |
LF | Smith | |
| LF | Manny |
1B | Helton | |
| CF | Kemp | SS | Tulowitzki | |
| 1B | Loney |
RF | Hawpe | |
| 3B | Blake |
C | Olivo | |
| 2B | DeWitt | 3B | Stewart | |
| C | Ellis |
2B | Barmes | |
| P | Kuroda | P | Cook |
|
Minor Notes
- Andre Ethier's second and final rehabilitation game with Albuquerque starts today at 4pm in Memphis. You can follow on Gameday, and listen via MiLB Audio.
- James McDonald has been placed on the seven-day disabled list for Triple A Albuquerque, retroactive to Thursday, with a strained right hamstring
- Chin-Lung Hu, recovering from a broken nose, has been activated from the disabled list for the Isotopes
- Old friend Paul LoDuca was released yesterday from Colorado Springs by the Rockies, per Jack Etkin of Inside the Rockies
- Since being fired by the Dodgers after the 2005 season, Jim Tracy is 10-20 (.333) against the Dodgers, and 224-234 (.489) against every other team
Xeifrank's simulation of today's game is here.
Game Time: 5:10pm
TV: KCAL, MLB Network