In the last of a three-game series between the Los Angeles Dodgers (8-3) and the Colorado Rockies (8-3) at Dodger Stadium, Brandon McCarthy (1-0, 6.75 ERA) and Eddie Butler (1-0, 1.64 ERA) take the mound. The Dodgers won the last game 6-3, extending a six-game winning streak. The game gets underway at 4:10 p.m. ET on Sunday, Apr. 19 and will air on ROOT-RM and SportsNet LA.
McCarthy has a 6.75 ERA and a 0-2 record in his career against the Rockies, and faces a strong Colorado offense that’s hitting .281 on the year. Howie Kendrick (.357, 5 Rs, 1 HR, 9 RBIs, 1 SB) continued his hot start yesterday, going 2 for 4 with one run and one RBI. In his pitching opportunities against the Dodgers, Butler is 0-1 with a 9.90 ERA. He meets a solid Los Angeles offense that’s batting .278. DJ LeMahieu (.463, 3 Rs, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 1 SB) went 1 for 3 yesterday with one run, one home run, and two RBIs.
Los Angeles, a -138 favorite, will look to capitalize at home against Colorado. The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is set at eight runs. The Dodgers perform well as a favorite with a 6-3 record and have an overall money line of +268. They have impressive records of 4-3 as the favorite and 4-3 SU within their division. The Dodgers are a power hitting team with 14 home runs, one of the highest totals in the MLB. They have been very patient at the plate, leading the NL with an average of 4.3 walks per game. Turning to the pitching staff, the Dodgers are third in the NL in walks allowed with just 2.0 per game. The have been extremely effective at striking opposing batters out, leading the NL with 11.0 strikeouts per game.
Moving on to the away team, the Rockies come into this game with a solid win percentage of .857 when playing as the underdog (6-1) and an overall money line of +483. Against divisional rivals, they are 3-1 SU and have played well as the underdog with a 3-1 record. When it comes to scoring, the Rockies haven’t performed as well against teams from the NL West. During those games, they averaged three runs per game, below their 4.8 runs per game season average. Colorado is the top hitting team in the NL with an average of 10.5 hits per contest. Colorado’s pitching staff tends to perform well when they play division rivals. They’ve allowed an average of 2.5 runs per game against teams from the NL West, lower than their season average of 3.2.
So far this season, the Dodgers are 2-0 against the Rockies. The Dodgers will take on a right-hander (Butler) in this game. They have done very well against right-handed starting pitchers this season (6-3), especially at home where they have a 5-1 record. The right-handed McCarthy will take the mound against the Rockies, who’ve racked up a 6-2 record against righty starters this season and are an outstanding 6-0 on the road.
Predictions: SU Winner – LAD, O/U – Over
Notes
Los Angeles has won 60% (3-2) of its games when leading after 7 innings. However, Colorado has won 67% (2-1) of its games when taking a late lead.
The Dodgers are coming into this game after allowing two walks during their last outing. The Rockies have a 5-4 record when opponents give up that many walks or fewer.
The Dodgers are coming into the game with six consecutive wins, while the Rockies currently have a losing streak of two.
When they outhit their opponents, the Rockies are 6-1. The Dodgers have an 8-1 record when outhitting opponents.
Ranking 11th, Colorado sits in the top half of the league in runs, scoring 51 this season. Los Angeles ranks in the top 10 at seventh with 56.
Ranking 30th, Colorado is at the bottom of the league in walks, notching 18 this season. Los Angeles ranks in the top five at third with 48.
When the Dodgers hit at least one home run, they are 6-2. When the Rockies hit at least one homer, they have a 4-3 record.
