Series preview: Dodgers look to extend winning streak versus Colorado

The Dodgers had a fantastic opening weekend at Dodger Stadium as they swept a three-game series with the Washington Nationals. Now sitting at a league-best 8-2 on the season, the Dodgers will welcome the Colorado Rockies to town for a three-game series. This will be a familiar opponent, as four of LA’s 10 games this season have been against the Rockies.

Tuesday: Trevor Bauer (1-0, 4.15 ERA) vs. Antonio Senzatela (1-1, 5.56 ERA)

The ERA is very misleading, because Trevor Bauer has been excellent so far through two starts with the Dodgers. We all know how his first outing went, as he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning at Coors Field and then allowed four runs. His last outing at Oakland went a lot smoother, as he allowed two runs in 6 ²⁄₃ innings of work. Bauer has struck out 10 in both outings, putting his SO/9 number at a career-high 13.8. In addition, he’s barely issuing any hits or walks as his WHIP is only 0.69.

After a disastrous first start of the season against the Dodgers, Antonio Senzatela had a fantastic second start last week. Against LA, the righty allowed seven runs on nine hits. Last week against the D-Backs he threw eight scoreless innings while allowing only four hits, arguably the best start of his entire career. This will be his sixth career start at Dodger Stadium, a place he hasn’t found much success. He owns a career 6.84 ERA in LA, his worst of any stadium with at least three starts.

Wednesday: Dustin May (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Jon Gray (1-0, 1.54 ERA)

Dustin May looks to build off an incredible start to his 2021 campaign. In his first start of the season, May threw six scoreless innings in Oakland while striking out eight, which tied a career-high. He’ll make his first start of the season at Dodger Stadium, a place he’s pitched very well at throughout his young career. In 11 games in LA, May owns a 2.38 ERA.

Though early in the season, Jon Gray has been pitching like one of the best starters in the National League. In his first outing of the year against LA he tossed five innings, striking out seven and allowing only one run. Then in his second start against Arizona he allowed one run in 6 ²⁄₃ innings while striking out five. Much like Senzatela, Gray has struggled in his career at Dodger Stadium. In six career starts there, he owns a 6.84 ERA.

Thursday: Julio Urias (2-0, 2.84 ERA) vs. Austin Gomber (0-2, 2.89 ERA)

Julio Urias kicked off his season with a fantastic start in Colorado. He threw seven innings of one-run ball for his longest outing of his career. Things didn’t go as smoothly in his last start against the Nationals. He went 5 ²⁄₃ innings and allowed three runs on nine hits with only three strikeouts.

Austin Gomber makes his third start of the season, and hopefully for him his second opportunity against LA will go a lot better. In his first outing against the Dodgers he lasted only three innings and issued seven walks. He allowed three runs to score, but only allowed one hit. Gomber also allowed only one hit in his last outing, but he did issue four walks. It’s been a strange season for the lefty. In 9 ¹⁄₃ innings of action he’s allowed only two hits, but has allowed 11 runners to reach base via the walk.