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Rockies-Dodgers Preview

Jul 1, 2009 - 6:40 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Colorado (41-36) at Los Angeles (49-29), 3:10 p.m. EDT

Over the first two months of the season, the Los Angeles Dodgers pushed around the Colorado Rockies.

It's been a different story for the surging Rockies in the past two games at Dodger Stadium.

In Wednesday's finale of a three-game series, Colorado will look to add to its recent run by taking a first series victory this season over its NL West-leading rivals

The Rockies stumbled to a 20-29 record through April and May, dropping eight of nine to Los Angeles in that time. The Dodgers outscored them 74-43 in those games and 27-10 in a three-game sweep April 17-19 at Dodger Stadium.

Colorado bounced back with a 3-0 win Tuesday night after falling 4-2 in 13 innings in the series opener.

Jason Marquis pitched a two-hitter for his NL-best 10th victory and delivered a two-run single in the seventh to give the Rockies a franchise-record 21st win this month.

Colorado (41-36) is 23-8 since Jim Tracy replaced the fired Clint Hurdle on May 29 and has won 21 of 25 since June 4 to cut a 14 1/2-game deficit to the Dodgers in the West to 7 1/2 entering Wednesday.

"Tracy talked to us and told us what he wanted out of us," Marquis said. "He told guys to be held more accountable for their actions, positive and negative, and guys responded to that real well. We're playing baseball the way it should be played and we're having fun."

The Rockies will look to right-hander Jason Hammel (5-3, 4.21 ERA) to help earn their seventh series win in eight tries. The former reliever, meanwhile, will try to improve on his 4-0 record and 3.41 ERA in five starts since June 4.

Hammel pitched a season-high 7 1-3 innings and allowed two runs in Friday's 4-2 victory at Oakland. He has made two career relief appearances against the Dodgers, allowing two runs in one inning on June 24, 2007, and pitching two scoreless frames April 18.

Los Angeles, meanwhile, will try to avoid losing its final game before the return of slugger Manny Ramirez, whose 50-game drug suspension ends Friday. The Dodgers (49-28) are 28-21 without Ramirez but have lost five of their last seven.

Already having posted consecutive series losses for the first time this season, Los Angeles will try to avoid dropping a third straight set for the first time since Aug. 19-28, 2008, when it lost two of three to Colorado before getting swept over seven games in Philadelphia and Washington.

The Dodgers will look to left-hander Clayton Kershaw (5-5, 3.70), who aims to win three straight starts for the first time Wednesday.

The left-hander is 2-0 with a 0.96 ERA over his past three outings and the only start he didn't win was when he received no runs of support June 16 against Oakland.

In Friday's 8-2 win over Seattle, Kershaw struck out eight and walked one.

"Any time you can put two or three (starts) back-to-back like that, that means you're making some progress," Los Angeles manager Joe Torre told his team's official Web site.

Kershaw, who is 2-3 in his career versus Colorado, has split two starts this season against the Rockies - both on the road. He gave up a career-high nine runs over 4 2-3 innings April 26 but earned a win in an 8-6 victory May 27 by allowing three runs over six innings.

Kershaw has received zero run support in his three losses and hasn't faced the Rockies at home since last June 4.