Dan Haren, Dodgers seek 4th straight win

The Dodgers go for a fourth straight win on Tuesday night against the Rockies at Coors Field, with Dan Haren trying to continue his second-half renaissance.

Haren has a 1.70 ERA over his last seven starts, with 34 strikeouts and seven walks in 42 innings. After allowing 20 home runs in a 15-start stretch from May 12 to Aug. 1, Haren's last seven starts has seen him allow only three home runs, including none in the last three starts and 25 innings.

Haren has won three straight decisions.

After a fifth straight loss on Aug. 1, Haren was 8-9 with a 4.76 ERA though 22 starts, and was spiraling downward quite fast.

If there is one thing that stands out in Haren's effectiveness in his last seven starts, it is the effectiveness of three of his pitches - his cutter, sinker and split-finger.

In his first 22 starts, Haren threw one of those three pitches 85.5 percent of the time. In his last seven starts, he has thrown them 74.6 percent of the time, per Brooks Baseball.

In those first 22 starts, opponents hit .283/.318/.496 in 484 plate appearances against those three pitches, with 81 strikeouts and 24 walks, a 16.7-percent strikeout rate.

In the seven starts since, batters against that trio are hitting .197/.216/.270 in 125 plate appearances, with 27 strikeouts and only three walks, a 21.6-percent strikeout rate.

Tyler Matzek gets the start for the Rockies, the first of four left-handed pitchers the rest of this road trip. Matzek in his last home stat, on Sep. 5 against San Diego, pitched the 22nd complete-game shutout in Coors Field history.

In fact, two of the rookie's last three starts at home have been scoreless outings.

The Dodgers are 24-13 against left-handed starters this season, the second-best mark in baseball (behind Washington's 27-15 record), including 15-4 on the road.

Game info

Time: 5:40 p.m. PT

TV: SportsNet LA