Final
Rockies-Dodgers Preview
Sep 18, 2010 - 7:14 AMVideo
Colorado (81-66) at Los Angeles (72-76), 4:10 p.m. EDT
Joe Torre's managerial career with the Los Angeles Dodgers will end in just over two weeks.
The Colorado Rockies hope to still be playing baseball at that time.
Led by Troy Tulowitzki, the Rockies look to continue their playoff push by notching their 13th victory in 15 games Saturday against the Dodgers.
Prior to Colorado's 7-5 win at Dodger Stadium on Friday, Torre announced that he will retire at the end of the season, but couldn't say with certainty that he'll never manage again. Los Angeles (72-76) immediately announced named hitting coach Don Mattingly as manager in 2011.
Torre led the two-time defending division champions to back-to-back NLCS appearances in his first two years with the club, but his third season has been disappointing. Los Angeles has dropped 10 of 13 and is in danger of finishing with its first losing record since 2005.
The Rockies (81-66) endured some struggles of their own earlier this season, but are once again finishing strong.
Colorado was 11 games out of first place Aug. 21, but is a major league-best 19-6 since to pull within 1 1/2 games of NL West-leading San Francisco. The Rockies, who also enjoyed late-season surges to makes the playoffs in 2007 and 2009, are 2 1/2 games in back of wild-card leading Atlanta.
"I love our chances. We've been here before, and we're starting to smell it," Tulowitzki said. "We're playing very meaningful games down the stretch. We dug ourselves a hole early in the season, but we always climb out of it."
Tulowitzki has been instrumental to Colorado's latest charge. The All-Star shortstop hit his 24th homer Friday, and is batting .377 with 12 home runs and 29 RBIs in his last 15 games.
Tulowitzki and his teammates will be getting their first look at rookie John Ely (4-7, 4.62 ERA), who is set to make his second start for Los Angeles since being recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque on Sept. 6.
Ely allowed three runs and six hits in six innings in last Saturday's 6-3 win at Houston, but didn't receive a decision.
This will be the right-hander's first start at Dodger Stadium since July. He is 0-3 with an 11.40 ERA in his last four starts in Los Angeles after going 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in his first four there.
The Dodgers have won five straight home series over the Rockies, but are one loss away from ending that run.
Andre Ethier has been a big part of that success, with 13 RBIs in the last 15 meetings in Chavez Ravine. Ethier, who singled, walked four times and scored once Friday, is 5 for 7 with two doubles against Jhoulys Chacin (8-9, 3.53), Colorado's scheduled starter.
Chacin was a little shaky Sunday against Arizona, allowing two unearned runs - both scoring off his own throwing error - and four hits while walking four in four innings in a 4-2 victory. Although he was unable to qualify for the win, the right-hander is still 3-0 with a 1.20 ERA in his last five starts.
One victory in this stretch came over the Dodgers on Aug. 28, when Chacin gave up one run and four hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings.
Chacin's made four starts versus Los Angeles this year, posting a 0.63 ERA in his two wins, but a 7.84 ERA in his two losses.
- Dodgers 2, Rockies 12 - FINAL
COLORADO ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
E Young 2b 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 .261
va-C Barmes ph-2b-ss 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 .233
D Fowler cf 5 1 2 0 0 0 0 .251
C Gonzalez rf 3 3 1 0 2 1 1 .341
J Herrera 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .290
T Tulowitzki ss 5 3 3 4 0 0 3 .328
S Smi
Sep 18 7:07 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY RUSS MITCHELL (2) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 1
OUT IN THE 9TH OFF FRANKLIN MORALES SCORED JAY GIBBONS.
CURRENT SCORE: COLORADO 12, LA DODGERS 2
DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: A ELLIS (.265, 3-FOR-3)
Rockies 12, Dodgers 2 Bot 9, 0 OutsSep 18 6:51 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
GRAND SLAM BY MELVIN MORA (5) TO LEFT WITH 2 OUT IN THE 8TH
OFF JEFF WEAVER SCORED TODD HELTON, CARLOS GONZALEZ AND
DEXTER FOWLER.
CURRENT SCORE: COLORADO 12, LA DODGERS 0
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: R SPILBORGHS (.289, 1-FOR-4, RBI)
Rockies 12, Dodgers 0 Top 8, 0 OutsSep 18 6:31 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
BASES LOADED WALK TO TODD HELTON SCORED CLINT BARMES
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, T HELTON ON FIRST, C GONZALEZ ON SECOND, D
FOWLER ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: COLORADO 8
LA DODGERS 0 TOP,8TH
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: M MORA (.287, 3-FOR-4, RBI)
Rockies 8, Dodgers 0 Top 8, 0 OutsSep 18 6:28 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
ERROR BY RUSS MITCHELL ALLOWED MIGUEL OLIVO TO SCORE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, C BARMES ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: COLORADO 7
LA DODGERS 0 TOP,8TH
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: D FOWLER (.249, 1-FOR-4)
Rockies 7, Dodgers 0 Top 8, 0 OutsSep 18 6:22 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY RYAN SPILBORGHS SCORED TODD HELTON
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, R SPILBORGHS ON FIRST, M MORA ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: COLORADO 6
LA DODGERS 0 TOP,5TH
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: M OLIVO (.272, 1-FOR-2)
Rockies 6, Dodgers 0 Top 5, 0 OutsSep 18 5:36 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY TROY TULOWITZKI (26) TO CENTER WITH 1
OUT IN THE 5TH OFF JOHN ELY SCORED CARLOS GONZALEZ.
CURRENT SCORE: COLORADO 5, LA DODGERS 0
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: T HELTON (.260, 0-FOR-1, BB)
Rockies 5, Dodgers 0 Top 5, 0 OutsSep 18 5:27 PM - NL
AT LA DODGERS - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY MELVIN MORA SCORED TROY TULOWITZKI
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, M MORA ON FIRST, T HELTON ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: COLORADO 3
LA DODGERS 0 TOP,3RD
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: R SPILBORGHS (.289, 0-FOR-1)
Rockies 3, Dodgers 0 Top 3, 0 OutsSep 18 4:54 PM - NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
COLORADO 2 2 1 0
LA DODGERS 0 0 0 (BOT 1)
CURRENT PITCHERS: COL - JHOULYS CHACIN
LOS - JOHN ELY
DUE UP FOR LA DODGERS: J CARROLL (.287, 0 HR, 22 RBI)
R THERIOT (.273, 2 HR, 29 RBI)
A ETHIER (.290, 22 HR, 75 RBI)
Rockies 2, Dodgers 0 Bot 1, 0 OutsSep 18 4:18 PM
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