Red-hot Yasmani Grandal starts 5th straight game at catcher for Dodgers

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers look to rebound from Thursday night's loss to the Rockies, sending Clayton Kershaw to the mound on Friday night against Colorado.

Yasmani Grandal is behind the plate for the third time in eight Kershaw starts this season, and for the 26th time in 35 games overall. He has started five straight games, has 17 hits in his last 32 at-bats, and has reached base by hit or walk in 12 straight games.

A.J. Ellis has started only nine times this season, and is 4-for-29 (.138) with a double and three walks.

"I talked with A.J. yesterday. There has been a stretch with the rainouts, and Yas was swinging well. I kind of wanted to let him get into a groove," manager Don Mattingly said. "A.J. has got a few coming. We've talked to both guys, and they know when they are playing over the next 10-12 days."

Justin Turner is back at third base for the Dodgers, his third start in the last five games at the hot corner and his 10th start in the last 18 games, including starts at second base and first base during that span. Turner is 6-for-9 (.667) against Rockies starter Eddie Butler, with two doubles and two walks.

Adrian Gonzalez is 3-for-10 with a home run and a double against Butler.

Carlos Gonzalez, the Friday night hero for the Rockies, has struck out 17 times in 33 plate appearances against Kershaw and is hitting just .167 (5-for-30) against him, but two of those hits are home runs. Right-hander a Drew Stubbs, getting the start in center field on Friday night, is just 4-for-29 (.138) with 14 strikeouts and two walks against Kershaw.

Rockies catcher Nick Hundley is 10-for-34 (.294) against Kershaw with a double and four walks (.368 on-base percentage).

Second thoughts

Jimmy Rollins is hitting second again for the Dodgers, his 12th time batting second. All 30 of his starts have been batting either first or second, despite hitting just .175/.261/.302 on the season. When asked if any thought was given to dropping Rollins in the batting order, Mattingly gave a classic non-answer answer.

"We always talk about the order," Mattingly said. "In general, what's the best combination? What does it affect when you move this guy there? Not specifically saying, 'We have to do this,' but we talk about the batting order all the time."