The Dodgers finish off their brief two-game set with the Rockies today, with a getaway day afternoon game at Coors Field. Trying to rebound from last night's loss, the Dodgers will send Chad Billingsley to the mound, in a situation in which he has excelled in his career. Billingsley made six daytime starts last season, and gave up a total of four runs, going 2-1 with a 0.94 ERA with 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings. Since the beginning of the 2008 season, the difference in Billingsley's starts have been like night and day:
| Chad Billingsley Starts 2008-2011 | |||||||||
| Split | GS | IP | IP/GS | HR/9 | BB/9 | K/9 | ERA | FIP | WHIP |
| Day | 27 | 171.2 | 6.36 | 0.52 | 2.78 | 9.59 | 2.52 | 2.77 | 1.136 |
| Night |
69 | 417.0 | 6.04 | 0.63 | 3.88 | 7.94 | 4.01 | 3.67 | 1.369 |
Billingsley, however, is 1-3 with a 4.57 ERA in four career starts at Coors Field, and his last outing in Denver, last August 28, was one of just three starts in Billingsley's career in which he failed to strikeout a single batter. Billingsley took the loss that day, with the win going to Jhoulys Chacin, who also handcuffed the Dodgers last night. After that August win by Chacin over the Dodgers, the Rockies got another win the next day, from Jason Hammel.
Colorado hopes for a similar result today, as Hammel makes his first start of 2011. Hammel is 1-1 with a 3.26 ERA in five career starts against the Dodgers, but let's see if he can continue a trend today.
| Jason Hammel Career Starts Against Dodgers | |||||
| Date | IP | H | R | BB | K |
| 7/1/09 | 8.0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 8/25/09 | 7.0 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 8/18/10 | 6.0 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 8/29/10 | 5.1 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 9/19/10 | 4.0 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
Hammel has pitched fewer innings in each successive start against the Dodgers. Will that continue this afternoon? Well, probably not, but that would certainly be something.
Notes
- Jamey Carroll is 3-for-5 with two doubles and two walks off Hammel (.600/.714/1.000); Juan Uribe, meanwhile, is just 2-for-15 with a double (.133/.133/.200) off the right-hander
- Todd Helton is 7-for-20 with two doubles and a home run off Billingsley (.350/.458/.600); Ian Stewart is 1-for-10 (.100/.167/.200), Seth Smith is 1-for-9 (.111/.200/.222), and Chris Iannetta is 1-for-7 (.143/.250/.143) off Billingsley
- Starting pitchers against the Dodgers this season have a 1.42 ERA with 10 walks and 25 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings, averaging 6 1/3 innings per start.
- Relief pitchers against the Dodgers have a 4.35 ERA, but have just one walk against nine strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings.
- The Dodgers have won four of their last five getaway days in Colorado
Game Time: 12:10 p.m.
TV: Prime Ticket