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Kemp-less Dodgers begin series with Rockies

Jun 1, 2012 - 3:10 PM (Sports Network) - The Dodgers went into their most recent series having won eight of 10 and expecting to get Matt Kemp back from injury.

They exited the series without a win and Kemp back on the disabled list.

Los Angeles hopes to turn the page this evening without its top offensive threat once again as it kicks off a two-week road trip with the first of three straight against the Colorado Rockies.

The Dodgers still own the best record in baseball (32-19) but are coming off getting swept in four games at home for the first time since 1993 after failing to pick up a win over the visiting Brewers.

Los Angeles outhit Milwaukee 13-8 in Thursday's finale, but couldn't come through in the clutch in a 6-2 defeat. Chad Billingsley drove in one of the two runs and also got the loss by allowing four runs over six frames.

"We're getting a lot of hits but obviously we've got to get them in," said Dodgers manager Don Mattingly. "If we swing the bats like this we'll be fine. We gave ourselves chances but we didn't get the big hit."

Los Angeles was able to survive its first stretch without Kemp, going 9-5, but lost him for at least another four weeks after he aggravated a strained left hamstring on Wednesday. He had just returned from the disabled list the previous game.

The Dodgers, who open a 10-game road trip, didn't expect Chris Capuano to play the role of stopper when they signed the veteran to be their fifth starter, but he has done just that by going 7-1 with a 2.14 earned run average through his 10 starts this year.

The lefty has won two straight outings since suffering his only loss thus far on May 16 at San Diego. He is coming off a win over the Astros on Sunday in which he hurled seven innings and allowed a run on two hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. It was the eighth time this season he allowed two runs or less in a start.

"Cap was great today," Dodgers catcher Matt Treanor said. "He mixed it up and changed speeds. He's a smart guy making pitches when he has to."

The 33-year-old Capuano can even his career record (64-65) for the first time since July 8, 2007 with a victory tonight and is 5-5 with a 3.44 ERA in his career versus the Rockies after beating them at home on May 11.

Capuano holds a 2.94 career ERA at Coors Field, the third-lowest in the stadium's history among pitchers with at least five starts.

Capuano will try to keep Rockies slugger Carlos Gonzalez in the hitter- friendly ballpark this evening. The outfielder has logged five straight multi- hit games to up his average 34 points.

Gonzalez set a franchise record by homering in four straight at-bats when he followed up a three-homer game on Wednesday with a three-run shot in the first inning of Thursday's 11-5 victory. He ended with three hits and scored three runs, going 11-for-18 in the four-game sweep of the Astros with four homers, eight RBI and seven runs scored.

Michael Cuddyer added three hits, three RBI and two runs scored while Marco Scutaro hit a solo home run for the Rockies, who have won six of eight despite placing shortstop Troy Tulowitzki on the 15-day disabled list prior to the game.

Jeremy Guthrie benefited from the run support as he gave up five runs on 12 hits over seven innings.

"We got a solid outing from (Guthrie) and we continued to swing the bats," said Rockies manager Jim Tracy.

Tracy's club goes for a fifth straight win tonight behind Josh Outman, who will make his first start with the Rockies after 49-year-old Jamie Moyer was designated for assignment.

Outman, acquired in January from the A's along with Guillermo Moscoso for Seth Smith, is 0-1 with a 9.64 ERA in eight relief outings with the Rockies. He made 25 starts during his tenure with Oakland, going 8-7 with a 3.78 ERA.

The 27-year-old southpaw has yet to pitch more than one inning in a game this season, so he isn't expected to throw more than around 50 pitches in this outing.

"I'm still approaching it as I would a full start," Outman told Colorado's official website. "Starters have several jobs and one of them is leaving the bullpen half of the plate. I'm going to try not to throw the full kitchen sink at the Dodgers -- I'm going to throw my 50 pitches how I'd throw my first 50 pitches anyway."

The Dodgers swept a three-game series at home versus the Rockies from May 11-13 after losing two of three in Colorado earlier in the season.