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Since returning from the disabled list, Kenley Jansen has been completely dominant, with 16 scoreless innings and striking out everyone in sight. However, after earning the save in last night's win over the Rockies, Jansen was hospitalized with an irregular heartbeat, per Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. Jansen will remain in the hospital tonight (no, Joey, he is not available to pitch) and is expected to rejoin the team Friday, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.
Tonight's Game
The Dodgers go for their second sweep and second five-game winning streak in the last three weeks tonight as they face the Rockies, but all eyes will be on the mound at Dodger Stadium. Hiroki Kuroda will make his last start before Sunday's trade deadline, and the question is will it be Kuroda's final start, in 2011, for the Dodgers?
Whether it's his 2011 swan song or not, Kuroda at the very least deserves some run support. The Dodgers have scored 20 runs in Kuroda's last 10 starts, during which Kuroda has only picked up one win. Six wins and 12 losses is no way to live, at least with a 3.19 ERA.
Aaron Cook has always been a low strikeout guy, but so far this year he has taken that to the extreme. He has struck out just 7.3% of the hitters he has faced this year, which translates into 15 punchouts in 44 2/3 innings in his eight starts since returning from a broken finger. Cook had an even lower strikeout rate in 2005, at 6.7%, but managed to put up a good year (7-2 with a 3.67 FIP, 4.34 FIP, and 4.04 xFIP). However, Cook also wasn't walking anybody then (4.5% of batters faced), whereas this year his 19 walks outnumber his strikeouts. The result is a 1-6 record in eight starts with a 5.84 ERA. His 4.31 FIP and 4.64 xFIP suggest some bad luck, but given the current run scoring environment, Cook has had a bad start to his 2011 season.
Lineups
| Rockies | Dodgers | |||
| LF | Young |
LF | Gwynn |
|
| CF | Fowler | SS | Furcal | |
| SS | Tulowitzki | RF | Ethier | |
| RF | Smith |
CF | Kemp | |
| 1B | Wigginton | 3B | Miles | |
| 3B | Stewart | 1B | Loney |
|
| 2B | Ellis | C | Barajas | |
| C | Alonzo | 2B | Carroll | |
| P | Cook | P | Kuroda |
|
Notes
- Matt Kemp, who hit .190/.257/.317 through the first 17 games of July, has reached base at least twice three times in the last four games, collecting six hits in 15 at-bats with two doubles and two walks.
- Jamey Carroll has four hits in his last five at-bats. His on-base percentage of .363 is 70 points higher than Milwaukee's Yuniesky Betancourt.
Game Time: 7:10 p.m.
TV: KCAL