Daily Clips

June 2, 2015

LOS ANGELES DODGERS CLIPS TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

DODGERS.COM: Kershaw, Dodgers use 18-hit attack to clip Rockies – Ken Gurnick and Dargan Southard Kershaw continues dominance over Rockies – Ken Gurnick Nicasio slated to face former club in twin bill – Ken Gurnick Kershaw master of command at Coors Field – Tracy Ringolsby Dodgers aiming to stay hot in twin bill vs. Rox – Dargan Southard Puig able to run during workout in Arizona – Ken Gurnick LA TIMES: The 20 greatest Dodgers of all time, No. 4: Don Drysdale – Chris Dufresne Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw shows up on the mound and at the plate – Dylan Hernandez Dodgers 11, Colorado Rockies 4 – Dylan Hernandez Dodgers' offense gets healthy in Denver with four homers in 11-4 win – Steve Dilbeck Dodgers call up LHP David Huff; Zach Lee won't get spot start – Steve Dilbeck Time for Dodgers to give Zach Lee an opportunity – Steve Dilbeck OC REGISTER: Denver's thin air proves to be just what Dodgers offense needs in 11-4 rout of Rockies – Bill Plunkett Dodgers' Justin Turner embraces his expanded role – Bill Plunkett On deck: Dodgers at Rockies (doubleheader), Tuesday, noon and 5:30 p.m. – Bill Plunkett LA DAILY NEWS: Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw make it look easy in 11-2 win over Colorado Rockies – JP Hoornstra Dodgers manager says Andre Ethier will move to left field when Yasiel Puig returns – JP Hoornstra TRUEBLUELA.COM: Checking in on Adrian Gonzalez and doubles – Eric Stephen Cody Bellinger has key hits in Quakes doubleheader sweep – Craig Minami Dodgers nearing decision on David Aardsma – Eric Stephen Juan Nicasio will start first game of doubleheader, Ian Thomas to be 26th man – Eric Stephen Home runs back Clayton Kershaw as Dodgers rout Rockies – Eric Stephen Dodgers vs. Rockies Game X chat – Eric Stephen ESPN LA: Clayton Kershaw is starting to feel right again – Mark Saxon Kershaw, Pederson lead Dodgers to 11-4 win over Rockies – Associated Press Rapid Reaction: Dodgers 11, Rockies 4 – Mark Saxon Don Mattingly rules out Zach Lee for doubleheader start – Mark Saxon Nationals shuffle bullpen; acquire Walters from Dodgers – Associated Press DODGER INSIDER: Colorado wither report: Dodgers reign – Jon Weisman Dodgers move Carl Crawford to 60-day DL, arrive in Colorado in a Huff, send West east – Jon Weisman Inside the #RallyBanana: A Dodger Insider special – Jon Weisman YAHOO SPORTS: Closing Time: Andre Ethier, back in the game; can't touch Jason Hammel – Scott Pianowski NBC LA: Dodgers Go Home Run Happy in Colorado, Rout Rockies 11-4 – Michael Duarte Dodgers Place Paco Rodriguez on Disabled List, Who Will Start on Tuesday? – Michael Duarte

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: There’s a New Top ‘Joc’ in Los Angeles – Andrew Beaton

LOS ANGELES DODGERS DAILY CLIPS

TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

DODGERS.COM

Kershaw, Dodgers use 18-hit attack to clip Rockies

By Ken Gurnick and Dargan Southard

DENVER -- The Dodgers broke loose with a six-run sixth inning, and starter Clayton Kershaw continued

his pitching dominance, helping Los Angeles to an 11-4 victory over the Rockies in Monday's series

opener at Coors Field.

Tied at 2, the Dodgers sent 12 men to the plate and banged out seven hits in the sixth -- the most

emphatic coming on Joc Pederson's three-run homer off reliever Christian Friedrich. That gave Los

Angeles a 7-2 lead and was more than enough cushion for Kershaw (4-3), who yielded just five hits and

two runs over seven innings.

"Just didn't have the finish on it like his fastball can," manager Walt Weiss said of Friedrich's home-run

pitch. "He's usually got a pretty good angle with his fastball, but that one to Pederson didn't have the

typical finish that Christian has."

The Dodgers quickly handed Kershaw a 2-0 advantage in the second, receiving solo homers from Andre

Ethier and Jimmy Rollins in a span of three batters. Nolan Arenado later erased that with a long two-run

homer in the fourth, but Rockies starter Kyle Kendrick (2-7) couldn't make the offensive contributions

stand up. He gave up six runs (five earned) and 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings -- his shortest outing since May

3.

"That was kind of nice," said manager Don Mattingly, whose Dodgers had scored six runs in their

previous six road games. "'Dre and Jimmy got us out of the gate, they bounced right back, so Joc's home

run was big."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Back to the homers: After a two-week power outage, the Dodgers opened June with a jolt as Ethier and

Rollins slugged solo home runs in the second inning, and Pederson launched his 14th in the sixth, a

three-run blast. Ethier (649) passed Matt Kemp (648) and moved into fifth place on the Dodgers' RBI list,

behind only Steve Garvey (992), Eric Karros (976), Willie Davis (849) and Ron Cey (842).

Long-ball blues: After serving up the two homers in the second, Kendrick moved into a tie with Padres

starter James Shields for most home runs surrendered this season (15). Kendrick gave up eight homers

in April, backed that down to five for May, and has yielded four long balls over his last two starts.

Triple threat: Along with his pitching, Kershaw had a career-high three hits and raced off the mound to

catch Brandon Barnes' popup in foul ground to end the fourth inning. With the double and two singles,

he raised his batting average from .087 to .185.

"It's almost a free pass for me," Kershaw said of his batting. "Not a lot of pressure to succeed."

Going deep, again: Arenado's fourth-inning blast pushed his homer streak to three games and signaled

his sixth blast in the last eight contests. Arenado's season-high for home runs is 18, but he's already hit

13 this year.

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Pederson's blast was the first homer Friedrich had yielded since June 26, 2014, snapping a 38 1/3-

innings streak. It was also the first home run Friedrich has surrendered as a reliever.

REPLAY REVIEW

In the seventh inning, Barnes was credited with an infield single after video evidence showed that he

did, in fact, beat out Howie Kendrick's throw from second. Rockies manager Walt Weiss challenged the

play, and the initial out call was overturned.

In the eighth, Pederson threw out Wilin Rosario trying to stretch a single into a double. Weiss challenged

the tag play at second, but the call was confirmed on replay.

WHAT'S NEXT

Dodgers: Juan Nicasio will start in the opener of a twin bill against the Rockies on Tuesday at 12:10 p.m.

PT, while Zack Greinke will get the ball for the nightcap at 5:40 p.m.

Rockies: Jorge De La Rosa and David Hale will be the twin-bill starters on Tuesday. De La Rosa will start

Game 1, which is slated for 1:10 p.m. MT, and Hale will start the nightcap at 6:40 p.m.

Kershaw continues dominance over Rockies

By Ken Gurnick

DENVER -- After a weekend of more whining than winning in St. Louis, the Dodgers had a mood

adjustment on Monday night.

They paraded out the heavy hitters -- four of them belting homers -- and even got a career-high three

hits from Clayton Kershaw along with seven solid innings in an 11-4 blowout of the Rockies. They scored

six runs in the sixth inning, after scoring six runs in their previous six road games.

After the game, Toby Keith's "Red Solo Cup" was blaring over the clubhouse sound system and the

country superstar was there himself, shaking hands and unabashedly cheering on a Dodgers team for

which he's rooted since the 1970s, even though he grew up in Oklahoma.

Keith even detoured his tour bus to the Mile High City instead of heading home from Phoenix after

Sunday's concert there. Having made a similar detour during the Dodgers' 42-8 run in 2013, he plans to

stay for Tuesday's doubleheader, although manager Don Mattingly (they're buddies) wouldn't tell him

who was pitching the early game (Juan Nicasio).

For all of their creative roster manipulations, it's unlikely the Dodgers will buy Keith out of the music

business to keep his 11-run karma. His $65 million annual income would create luxury tax implications.

Kershaw, who makes less than half that, said he's a huge Keith fan, so he was pleased the Dodgers could

put together such a spirited victory, which came after Mattingly called a pregame team meeting.

Adrian Gonzalez had four hits plus a walk and Howie Kendrick drove in four runs. Kendrick and Joc

Pederson smacked three-run homers, while Andre Ethier and Jimmy Rollins hit solo shots for the

Dodgers, who are 8-2 against the Rockies this season and 22-18 against everybody else.

Sometime soon, the Dodgers will need to beat the good teams too, but for now the wins against the

last-place Rockies count the same.

Kershaw got this four-game series off to a great start, improving his career mark against Colorado to 16-

5 and 8-0 the last nine times he's faced the Rockies. He's pitched at least seven innings in three

consecutive starts, raising his record to 4-3 with a 3.73 ERA, although he did let a 2-0 lead get away on

Nolan Arenado's two-run homer to center.

Kershaw said he left his last two starts feeling happy (and a winner), something he hadn't done since last

September. He had a live fastball and a quality curve, although he still hasn't found last year's

consistency with the slider. Seven strikeouts gave Kershaw the league lead with 90.

He said he doesn't let Coors Field and its reputation as a hitter's paradise affect him.

"If your stuff is good, it'll be good here," said the lefty, now 8-3 overall at Coors Field. "The margin for

error is a lot less."

Nicasio slated to face former club in twin bill

By Ken Gurnick

DENVER -- Dodgers right-hander Juan Nicasio will start the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against

the Rockies and newly acquired left-handed reliever Ian Thomas will be called up as the 26th man,

manager Don Mattingly announced following Monday's 11-4 win in the series opener at Coors Field.

Zack Greinke will start the nightcap as originally planned.

There could be other roster moves, as left-hander David Huff, who was called up on Monday, pitched

one inning of relief and allowed two runs. David Aardsma, who has been the Triple-A Oklahoma City

closer, has a June 1 out clause and the Dodgers reportedly have 72 hours to promote or release him.

Nicasio will be making his first start of the year against his former club, which traded him to the Dodgers

in the offseason for Minor Leaguer Noel Cuevas. A starter with Colorado, Nicasio's longest outing this

year is three innings.

The right-hander has a 1.29 ERA in 16 appearances, but Nicasio also has 11 walks in 21 innings, while

left-handed hitters are batting .444 (8-for-18) against him and right-handers .088 (5-for-57).

Thomas was acquired last week from Atlanta in the Juan Uribe trade. He has made only one appearance

for Oklahoma City, allowing six runs in 2 1/3 innings.

Kershaw master of command at Coors Field

By Tracy Ringolsby

DENVER -- Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw is really good.

How good is he? Kershaw is so good that he takes the mound at Coors Field, laughs at the nightmarish

moments that haunt others when they face the challenge of baseball at 5,280 feet, and wins.

It is about adjustments. Kershaw makes them.

It is about ability. Kershaw has it.

It's about winning. Kershaw does it.

And it doesn't matter if Kershaw is in Coors Field.

There Kershaw was on Monday night, once again facing the Rockies on the road, and putting together

seven strong innings, the only blemish a two-run Nolan Arenado homer in the fourth inning that tied a

game which turned into an 11-4 Dodgers victory.

That's right, seven innings in which Kershaw gave up three hits and two runs, walked one batter and

struck out seven. Heck, he had as many hits himself, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

Surprised? Don't be. Rick Honeycutt, the only pitching coach Kershaw has known in the big leagues,

isn't.

"Overall, he has pitched pretty well here," Honeycutt said. "Oh, there have been some games where

that one little thing happens and it becomes a big inning, but overall, he has limited those."

Kershaw even takes part in the offense at Coors Field. He's now hitting .333 in his career, with two

doubles, matching Dodger Stadium for his career high, and six RBIs, second only to the 11 he has in his

home park, where he has had 179 more at-bats than Coors Field.

Now Kershaw isn't lobbying to pitch at Coors Field more often. But he has made more starts here (17)

than any other park outside of Dodger Stadium. Kershaw is 8-3 lifetime at Coors Field. And he is getting

better with age.

Check out that line since 2013, the year Kershaw turned 25. The Dodgers have won all seven games he

has started in Colorado, and he is 5-0 with a 3.09 ERA.

"He's been here a few times," Honeycutt said. "We are in the same division, so he can pitch three times

a year here. Over times when you're a good pitcher, you adapt to places you've been before."

Now, that's not saying Kershaw is perfect. Funny things can happen at Coors Field, like his no-decision

on May 10, when the Dodgers, down 5-2 after four, rallied for a 9-5 win in a game Kershaw departed

with two out in the bottom of the sixth. The Rockies put a five-spot on the board in a fourth inning in

which a Drew Stubbs nubber in front of home plate was called a base hit, and led to the final three runs.

"It happens," Kershaw said.

The key is not letting it happen over and over again. Yes, Kershaw has allowed five or more runs in six

starts at Coors Field, but he also has allowed two or fewer eight times, and three runs in the three other

starts.

The key is not getting caught up with where Kershaw is pitching, but rather focusing on how he is

pitching.

"It is always a challenge to pitch here, but you just try and keep [the team] in the game until the offense

can get the job done," he said.

That's what Kershaw did on Monday. Given a 2-0 lead on home runs by Andre Ethier and Jimmy Rollins

in the second, Kershaw did give up that two-run homer to Arenado following Troy Tulowitzki's leadoff

single in the fourth. Kershaw, however, retired 12 of the next 14 batters he faced before turning things

over to the bullpen for the final two innings.

"You try to keep the ball down," Kershaw said.

But there's not an overhaul of the process.

Kershaw has that big curveball, and it curves at Coors Field. He has that hard over-the-top slider, and it

slides at Coors Field. And Kershaw has that power fastball, and it powers at Coors Field.

"I throw the pitches the same," Kershaw said. "You don't just change things. There is a smaller margin of

error, but you know that. It doesn't surprise you."

But then Kershaw doesn't surprise anybody, either. He does his job and he does it well.

Kershaw can pitch. He can field. And he can hit, like that double he powered over the head of Rockies

left fielder Rafael Ynoa in the fourth or that run-scoring single in the midst of the decisive six-run sixth

when he faked a bunt, pulled back and slapped the ball through the vacated hole at shortstop.

"You appreciate guys like that for sure," manager Don Mattingly said. "They are baseball players. You

like guys who take everything they do seriously. He holds runners. He fields his position. He can bunt.

Those are all things that can help you win a game."

And that is one thing Kershaw can do, win games, in Coors Field and anywhere else he pitches.

Dodgers aiming to stay hot in twin bill vs. Rox

By Dargan Southard

The Rockies and Dodgers will continue their series with a day-night doubleheader on Tuesday at Coors

Field. Jorge De La Rosa and David Hale will start for Colorado, while Juan Nicasio and Zack Greinke are

the starters for Los Angeles.

The twin bill resulted from a rainout when the teams were scheduled to play on May 9.

Following Monday's 11-4 loss in the opener, Colorado manager Walt Weiss said that De La Rosa (1-2,

6.51 ERA) will start Game 1 and Hale (1-0, 2.70) will go in the nightcap.

Los Angeles will give the ball to Nicasio (1-1, 1.29 ERA) for the twin-bill opener.

Things to know about these games

• In six career games (five starts), Greinke (5-1, 1.48 ERA) is 2-0 with a 3.58 ERA at Coors Field.

• Nolan Arenado's fourth-inning blast on Monday -- his 13th of the season -- pushed his homer streak to

three games and signaled his sixth blast in the Rockies' last eight contests. He's five shy of matching his

season-high for home runs (18).

• The Dodgers have historically given De La Rosa trouble. In 23 career games (19 starts), the left-hander

is 6-10 with a 5.48 ERA vs. Los Angeles. The Giants, Padres and Diamondbacks are the only teams De La

Rosa has thrown more career innings against.

• Greinke's recent stretch has been nothing short of amazing. Over his previous five starts -- a stretch

that's covered 34 1/3 innings -- Greinke owns a 1.05 ERA and has yielded just five runs (four earned).

He's struck out 31, walked only seven and hasn't given up more than one run in a start since April 29.

Puig able to run during workout in Arizona

By Ken Gurnick

DENVER -- Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig, hampered by a strained left hamstring much of the season,

was able to run on Monday at virtually full speed at the Camelback Ranch complex in Arizona, manager

Don Mattingly reported.

Puig tweeted out word that he would be back on the field in a few days, presumably as part of a Minor

League rehabilitation assignment. Puig already had one rehab assignment shut down with a flare-up of

the hamstring.

The Dodgers will have played 50 games after Monday's series opener against the Rockies, but Puig has

played in only 11. He has two homers and four RBIs, to go with only one homer and three RBIs from

fellow corner outfielder Carl Crawford, who was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on Monday with

a strained right oblique, meaning he will miss at least four more weeks.

Mattingly wouldn't give a timetable for Puig's return, but his club's prolonged offensive slump has lent a

sense of urgency. Mattingly said the club has received solid production from Andre Ethier, Alex Guerrero

and Scott Van Slyke in their absence. But Mattingly used the word "over-exposed" while expressing the

hope that when Puig returns to right field, Ethier could move to left field "and take pressure off Scott

and Alex, who have played against guys we don't think they match up against."

Mattingly said he started rookie utilityman Kiké Hernandez in left field on Monday night because, with

lefty Clayton Kershaw facing a right-handed-heavy Rockies lineup, "it's a big outfield and I want to

defense left field."

LA TIMES

The 20 greatest Dodgers of all time, No. 4: Don Drysdale

By Chris Dufresne

Continuing our countdown of the 20 greatest Dodgers of all time, as selected by our readers.

No. 4: Don Drysdale (202 first-place votes, 65,432 points)

Naming the most famous number in Dodgers history is easy: Jackie Robinson’s 42.

Also not debatable is the most famous letter.

That’s "Big D,” the all-time alphabet Dodger dog.

Drysdale’s legacy offers more than an accumulation of wins and strikeouts that eventually led to the Hall

of Fame.

He and announcer Vin Scully were the connective tissue through the transition from Brooklyn to Los

Angeles. Drysdale served as on-field father/protector for a franchise many expected would go soft

sipping poolside umbrella drinks in California.

Drysdale proved a kid from Van Nuys was as tough as any Bowery Boy.

He never received a full appreciation pitching in the same rotation as Sandy Koufax. While Koufax was

fronting the organization in the heydays of the 1960s, though, Drysdale always had its back.

He threw, on purpose, the wild pitches Koufax threw by accident.

They were baseball’s best one-two punch, the difference being Drysdale wasn’t opposed to actual

punches.

Numbers are numbers. The shoulder injury that ended Drysdale’s career after 14 seasons in 1969

prevented him from a late-career statistical pileup. That forced him to wait a decade for his 1984 Hall of

Fame induction.

His win-loss record of 209-166 needed a context provider to add his stellar 2.95 ERA or the fact he

received an average of 4.09 runs per career start on generally weak-hitting Dodger teams (Koufax

received 4.35).

Historians rarely note Drysdale, not Koufax, posted wins in each of the World Series championships of

1959, ’63 and ’65.

Drysdale also hit 29 career home runs, No. 6 on the all-time list for a pitcher, and was the only .300

hitter in the Dodgers’ lineup for Game 1 of the 1965 World Series.

My favorite Drysdale numbers, though, are these: He was ejected four times in his career, the first time

in 1957 for fighting. He was also tossed for arguing a ball-strike call (1958), bench jockeying and

equipment tossing (1959) and intentionally hitting a batter (1961).

Big D made sure the “Little Ds” didn’t get pushed around. He vowed hitting two batters for every Dodger

that got decked. Ordered once to issue an intentional walk, Drysdale plunked the batter with his first

pitch.

“Why waste four of them?” he said.

Drysdale hit 154 opposing batters in his career, leading the National League four straight seasons from

1958 through ’61.

Orlando Cepeda said the trick against Drysdale was to “hit him before he hit you.”

It was a hit parade that led Drysdale from Dodgertown to Cooperstown.

Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw shows up on the mound and at the plate

By Dylan Hernandez

When Clayton Kershaw was removed from the game Monday night, he felt the way he did in a similar

situation six days earlier.

"That's a new feeling for me," Kershaw joked.

After nine largely unremarkable starts, Kershaw has won his last two, the more recent coming in the

Dodgers' 11-4 thumping of the last-place Colorado Rockies. Kershaw pitched seven innings, giving up

two runs on a fourth-inning home run Nolan Arenado but nothing else.

"I'll try to build on that, for sure," he said.

The visit to Coors Field bolstered the confidence of not only Kershaw, but also the recently-slumping

Dodgers offense, which collected 18 hits, including home runs by Andre Ethier, Jimmy Rollins, Joc

Pederson and Howie Kendrick.

Kershaw drove in Rollins to give the Dodgers a 4-2 lead in the sixth inning, as he showed bunt, only to

slap ball to the opposite field and beat the Rockies' defensive shift. The run was the second of six the

Dodgers scored that inning.

The hit was the third of the game for Kershaw; he had never had that many in a game.

Adrian Gonzalez, who had four hits and a walk, said he hasn't been surprised by the occasional offensive

contributions of Kershaw and Zack Greinke.

"They're like the high school pitcher that does it all," Gonzalez said. "They're really good athletes.

Kershaw, I'm sure, you can put him at first every day and he can defend himself. The same with Greinke.

You can put him on the field somewhere."

Kershaw said he doesn't approach hitting with the same intensity as he does his pitching, which, in turn,

makes it more enjoyable.

"It's a little bit more fun because there's not the pressure of needing to succeed," he said. "I guess it's

almost like a free pass."

Kershaw was also pleased with the effectiveness of his curveball and slider in Colorado's thin air.

"It's always a little bit of an extra challenge to pitch here and to come out of it, get a win," he said. "If

you throw it right, it's the same. It's just a smaller margin for error. You don't get away with as many

mistakes."

Kershaw (4-3) limited the Rockies to five hits and a walk. He struck out seven and lowered his once-

unsightly earned-run average to 3.73.

The start was the third in a row in which Kershaw pitched seven or more innings. He pitched only two

such games in his first eight starts of the season.

By minimizing the workload of his team's relievers, Kershaw allowed the Dodgers to follow through with

their plans for a bullpen game in the first game of a doubleheader the next day. The Dodgers and

Rockies will be making up a game that was rained out here last month.

Rather than promote a starting pitcher from the minor leagues for the early contest, the Dodgers will

use a series of relievers to get through the game. Long reliever Juan Nicasio will be the first pitcher on

the mound for them.

Zack Greinke will start the second game.

League rules will permit the Dodgers and Rockies to add a 26th player for the two games. For the

Dodgers, that player will be left-hander Ian Thomas, who was acquired in the recent trade that sent Juan

Uribe to the Atlanta Braves. Thomas will be recalled from triple-A Oklahoma City.

The Dodgers already started to reconfigure their roster Monday, calling up David Huff from triple-A

Oklahoma City and sending down right-hander Matt West.

Huff pitched the final two innings on Monday night in relief of Kershaw. Huff, who made a spot start for

the Dodgers in April, was charged with two runs and four hits.

Dodgers 11, Colorado Rockies 4

By Dylan Hernandez

Dodgers 11, Colorado 4

KEY MOMENT: The Dodgers scored six runs to take an 8-2 lead in the sixth inning, which was highlighted

by a three-run home run by Joc Pederson. Pitcher Clayton Kershaw drove in Jimmy Rollins for the first

run of the inning with a single to left field that beat the Rockies' defensive shift.

AT THE PLATE: The Dodgers collected 18 hits, including a career-high three from Kershaw. Andre Ethier

and Jimmy Rollins hit solo home runs in the second inning to give the Dodgers a brief 2-0 lead. Howie

Kendrick homered in the ninth inning. Adrian Gonzalez was four for four with a walk and reached base

five times for the 14th time in his career.

ON THE MOUND: Kershaw completed seven innings for the third consecutive start, this time limiting the

Rockies to two runs and five hits. He struck out seven and walked one. The only runs Kershaw allowed

came on a fifth-inning home run by Nolan Arenado. Left-hander David Huff, who pitched the eighth

inning in relief of Kershaw, was charged with two runs and four hits. J.P. Howell struck out two batters in

a perfect ninth inning.

ROSTER MOVE: Huff traded places with Matt West, as Huff was called up from triple-A Oklahoma City

and West was sent down. To create a place for Huff on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers moved Carl

Crawford to the 60-day disabled list, which ruled out the former All-Star outfielder's return for at least

four more weeks. Crawford has been sidelined with a torn side muscle since April 28.

EXTRA BASES: Yasiel Puig posted on his Twitter account that he expects to be back on the field "in a few

days," presumably to start a minor league rehabilitation assignment. Manager Don Mattingly said Puig

ran at close to 100% intensity at the Dodgers' spring-training complex in Arizona. In Puig's absence,

Andre Ethier has been starting in right field. Mattingly said that when Puig returns to the major leagues,

he will take back his place in right field and Ethier will become the team's primary left fielder.

UP NEXT: Juan Nicasio (1-1, 1.29 earned-run average) will face the Rockies at noon in the first game of a

Tuesday doubleheader. Zack Greinke (5-1, 1.48) will pitch the second game for the Dodgers, at 5:30 p.m.

Jorge De La Rosa (1-2, 6.51) and David Hale (1-0, 2.70) were named the Rockies' two starters, but

Manager Walt Weiss wouldn't say who would start which game. TV: SportsNet LA. Radio: 570, 1020.

Dodgers' offense gets healthy in Denver with four homers in 11-4 win

By Steve Dilbeck

Maybe the Dodgers just love the high altitude. Maybe it’s the spacious confines of Coors Field. And just

possibly, it’s the Rockies’ lousy pitching staff.

There’s little question the Dodgers enjoy making themselves at home in Denver. It might as well come

with healing hot springs. They bring their struggles to Colorado and leave feeling all better.

They arrived Monday a struggling offensive team and left having driven balls all over Coors Field, hitting

four home runs before finally settling for an 11-4 victory at Coors Field.

Their night’s 11 runs and 18 hits were more than they managed all weekend in three games in St. Louis.

The Cardinals, however, have a staff 2.73 ERA, first in the majors. The Rockies have a 4.64 ERA, which is

dead last.

Andre Ethier, Jimmy Rollins, Joc Pederson and Howie Kendrick all went deep. It was such a hit-fest, even

left-hander Clayton Kershaw got into the act with three hits. Every starter had at least one hit.

Ethier and Rollins both hit solo homers in the second inning, but after Nolan Arenado hit a two-run

homer off Kershaw in the fourth to tie it, it was pretty much all Dodgers.

They broke the game open in the sixth, sending 12 batters to the plate to account for six runs. Ethier

tripled and scored the go-ahead run on an Enrique Hernandez single. Rollins singled but Hernandez was

picked off second by right-hander Kyle Kendrick, which was probably his game highlight. After A.J. Ellis

was safe on a throwing error on Arenado, Kershaw singled in Rollins.

That ended the night for Kendrick (2-7, 6.55 ERA). Trailing by two runs, the Rockies called on left-hander

Christian Friedrich to face Pederson. The rookie promptly hit a three-run homer to give the Dodgers a

five-run lead. It was Pederson’s 14th of the season and second in two days against a left-hander.

Kendrick singled in one more run in the sixth before adding a three-run homer in the eighth to leave the

Dodgers up 11-2.

Kershaw (4-3) went seven innings for his second consecutive strong start, allowing the two runs on five

hits and a walk, striking out seven.

The Dodgers are now 3-0 at Coors Field this season and 8-2 overall against the Rockies. The Dodgers

went 13-6 against the Rockies last year.

Adrian Gonzalez went four for four, including a pair of triples, and walked.

Dodgers call up LHP David Huff; Zach Lee won't get spot start

By Steve Dilbeck

Because it’s another day that ends in a “y,” the Dodgers made yet another roster move Monday.

This time they brought left-hander David Huff back up from their JV team, triple-A Oklahoma City, and

sent back down right-handed reliever Matt West, who arrived the day before and didn’t need to unpack.

Then because Huff was no longer on the 40-man roster, they moved outfielder Carl Crawford (strained

oblique) to the 60-day disabled list to put Huff back on. That means Crawford will be out almost another

month. He cannot be activated until June 27.

The Dodgers need another starter for Tuesday’s doubleheader, but the latest move does not necessarily

mean Huff – who made one spot start April 14 (four runs on seven hits in four innings) – will get the

start.

Huff started two games for Oklahoma City but has come out of the bullpen in his last four appearances.

He hasn’t thrown more than three innings in a game since April 20. He is 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA and a 0.91

WHIP for Oklahoma.

Manager Don Mattingly told reporters in Denver that Huff could start Tuesday, depending on how

Monday’s game plays out. More significant, he said they won't start anyone who hasn't previously

started in the majors. That leaves out the possibility of Zach Lee and makes Joe Wieland the more likely

candidate for Tuesday’s start.

West did not pitch Sunday, in his only game with the Dodgers. The Dodgers have played 49 games and

made 26 roster moves, but it’s still early.

Time for Dodgers to give Zach Lee an opportunity

By Steve Dilbeck

To everything, turn, turn, turn.

There is a season ...

Hopefully, even for a No. 1 draft pick who was a former organizational minor league pitcher of the year.

Of course, it was two years ago that the Dodgers named Zach Lee their minor league pitcher of the year

and all that early promise seemed to be arriving on schedule.

Only after that, Lee seemed to shrink in the organizational hierarchy and all those prospect lists went

from having him listed at No. 1 to dropping him from their top 10. Lee struggled last season at triple-A

Albuquerque (7-13, 5.38 WHIP, 1.54 WHIP) and the excited buzz became a muffled murmur.

When the Dodgers’ rotation became a mess with season-ending injuries to Brandon McCarthy and

Hyun-Jin Ryu, the Dodgers sent call-ups out to David Huff, Scott Baker, Mike Bolsinger, Carlos Frias and

Joe Wieland -- seemingly everyone but Lee.

So what’s Lee been doing all this time? Only leading the triple-A Oklahoma City rotation with a 5-3

record, 2.38 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 44 strikeouts. Lee is still only 23 years old, and now in his fifth season,

the former LSU quarterback seems to have found his stride.

Now will he find his way to the majors?

The Dodgers need to call up another starting pitcher for one of their two games in Tuesday’s

doubleheader in Colorado.

They have yet to announce who they will call up, though Lee was pulled after only three scoreless

innings in his last start Friday, so it appears he will get his shot. But Wieland pitched Thursday, so he’s

also in line for a Tuesday start.

It’s time to give Lee an opportunity. He’s earned it. He persevered through some rocky moments to put

it together at triple-A.

Tuesday is likely a one-shot deal, and Coors Field is hardly the ideal place to make a pitching debut, but

he deserves a chance. That doesn’t mean he’s going to replace Bolsinger or Frias in the rotation, but you

know someone is going to struggle or be injured and the Dodgers will yet need another rotation piece at

some point. Let’s see if Lee could figure into the future mix.

OC REGISTER

Denver's thin air proves to be just what Dodgers offense needs in 11-4 rout of Rockies

By Bill Plunkett

DENVER – In the late 19th century, many homesteaders were drawn to Colorado by the medicinal

properties associated with the hot springs found throughout the Rocky Mountains.

In the 21st century, struggling offenses can find their own healing qualities in a visit to Coors Field.

The Dodgers dipped their bats 18-hits deep in those healing waters Monday night in an 11-4 victory over

the Colorado Rockies.

The offensive revival included a six-run sixth inning, four home runs, a four-hit game by Adrian Gonzalez

(two doubles and two singles plus a walk) and even a career-high three-hit game for starting pitcher

Clayton Kershaw (two singles and a double).

The four home runs – three-run homers by Joc Pederson and Howie Kendrick, solo homers by Andre

Ethier and Jimmy Rollins – ran the Dodgers’ season total to 68, one short of the majors’ longball leaders,

the Houston Astros.

The 11 runs were the Dodgers’ high-water mark since an 11-1 win over the Miami Marlins on May 12

and came on the heels of a three-game series in St. Louis during which the Dodgers were shut out on

Friday, held hitless for five innings Saturday and had just two hits all game Sunday.

“Can this place? Yeah, of course,” Gonzalez said when asked if Coors Field has restorative properties for

a hitter’s confidence. “You see the (home-road) splits on most of the guys on the other side. It’s

definitely a good place to hit, for sure.

“I guess the way I should answer your question is it doesn’t have anything to do with leaving St. Louis. It

has more to do with coming to Coors. The chances are that if you put up good at-bats here you know

you’re going to have a chance to put up good numbers.

“I mean, I hit two balls in St. Louis that would have been homers or doubles here but they end up being

outs. Obviously, you turn two balls that could have been a homer and a double into 0 for 2 and now the

series as a whole looks bad. If those two at-bats were a double and a homer, the series isn’t as bad. That

little bit there can be the biggest difference in the world.”

The offensive breakout at Coors Field was another example of the Dodgers simply doing what they are

supposed to do – a big part of what they have accomplished in the first 50 games of the season.

With Monday’s win, the Dodgers are 25-10 against teams with losing records (currently) including 18-7

against the Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres – the bottom three teams in the NL

West.

They have played just three teams with winning records (the Cardinals, Atlanta Braves and San Francisco

Giants) and are 5-10 in those games.

Kershaw has also started to do what he’s supposed to do. He went seven innings Monday, allowing a

two-run home run to Nolan Arenado but only four other hits and one walk while striking out seven

(returning to the major-league lead with 90).

The Dodgers ace has won three of his past four starts with a 2.89 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 34 strikeouts and six

walks in that time. It is a sign of positive momentum after an uneven start to his season as the reigning

National League MVP.

“Yeah, I hope so,” Kershaw acknowledged. “The last two especially I felt happy coming out of the game.

That’s a new feeling for me.”

Kershaw’s dissatisfaction with his own results was evident at times in the first six weeks of the season

and he admitted to some frustration. He was asked just how long it had been since he left a game

feeling satisfied.

“The start before this one and before that I don’t know,” he said, referring to his seven scoreless innings

in a win over the Atlanta Braves. “September I guess.”

Dodgers' Justin Turner embraces his expanded role

By Bill Plunkett

DENVER – Justin Turner got what he worked for.

A role player without an every-day role for most of his career, Turner dedicated himself this past winter

to getting leaner and shedding “the label” he felt he wore as a player suited only to part-time duty.

Turner changed “everything I did” in terms of nutrition and worked out at Dodger Stadium on a regular

basis throughout the offseason.

The work appears to have been worth it.

“Yeah – 100 percent,” Turner said. “I definitely feel I’m in better shape, lighter. There’s not as much

stress on my legs.”

There’s also less stress when he looks at the lineup card. The Cal State Fullerton product has emerged as

the primary third baseman with the trade of Juan Uribe last week. He has started 11 of the Dodgers’

past 16 games at third and nine of the past 11, taking over the lion’s share of playing time at the position

even before Uribe was traded.

“I don’t need that title,” Turner said of becoming the every-day third baseman. “I just look at our roster

and how many good players we have. I want to play every day. But I look at the depth we have. There’s

plenty of options for Donnie (Mattingly).

“I definitely feel I’m playing more than a quote-unquote role player. But I was playing more than I

usually had when he (Uribe) was here. The trade went down and nothing really changed other than I lost

the best teammate on the planet.”

Mattingly said he still feels he has to be careful not to overplay Turner. Too much playing time leads to

knee and hamstring issues, Mattingly indicated. Turner doesn’t feel he needs to be handled with care.

“I think (Mattingly’s attitude) is more the history of being in New York only playing 60, 70 games for a

couple years,” Turner said. “Maybe he just feels he needs to be cautious about going too fast from that

to playing a lot. I don’t feel like that’s an issue.”

Turner’s run as the primary third baseman could be a short one. Cuban infielder Hector Olivera is

expected to join Class-A Rancho Cucamonga soon, the first step in what could be a quick rise to the

major leagues, where he could take away playing time from Turner who has hit .298 with five home runs

and 19 RBI this year.

MYSTERY MAN

Country music star Toby Keith was Mattingly’s guest at Monday’s game. As he was walking out of the

clubhouse following the game, he was asked if he would be back Tuesday.

“Yeah,” he said. “But I can’t figure out who’s pitching tomorrow.”

He wasn’t alone. The Dodgers’ decision-makers were still working out their plans for the doubleheader

after Monday’s game. Right-hander Zack Greinke will start one of the two games (the night game). It

wasn’t until well after the game that the Dodgers announced Juan Nicasio will start the first game

against his former team in what will amount to a “bullpen game.”

Left-hander Ian Thomas will be added as the 26th man, a roster provision allowed for doubleheaders.

Thomas was acquired by the Dodgers in their six-player trade with the Atlanta Braves last week. He has

never started a game in the major leagues and has been almost exclusively a reliever in the minors

(including one appearance with Triple-A Oklahoma City since the trade). But Dodgers president of

baseball operations Andrew Friedman indicated the Dodgers viewed Thomas as a potential starter and

wanted to take him in that direction.

Nicasio has pitched well in relief for the Dodgers this year (a 1.29 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 16 appearances)

after spending parts of the previous four seasons in the Rockies’ rotation. But he hasn’t gone more than

three innings in an outing this season.

ROSTER MOVES

The Dodgers promoted left-hander David Huff from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday, returning right-

hander Matt West. Huff was eliminated as a potential starting option when he pitched the eighth inning

of Monday’s win, allowing two runs.

In order to return Huff to the 40-man roster (he was designated for assignment after a spot start in

April), the Dodgers moved outfielder Carl Crawford to the 60-day DL. Crawford has been out since April

27 with an oblique muscle tear in his left side and has been rehabbing at the Dodgers’ training complex

in Arizona. Mattingly said Crawford has not begun any “baseball activities” yet and is progressing slowly.

The 60-day DL move means Crawford will not be eligible to return until June 27.

AROUND THE BASES

Andre Ethier’s solo home run in the second inning Monday moved him past Matt Kemp and into fifth

place in RBI among L.A. Dodgers. Ethier (649) ranks behind Steve Garvey (992), Eric Karros (976), Willie

Davis (849) and Ron Cey (842). … LHP Eric Stults (acquired as part of the Juan Uribe-Alberto Callaspo

trade with the Atlanta Braves) cleared waivers and accepted an assignment to Double-A Tulsa. … The

Dodgers traded Triple-A RHP P.J. Walters to the Washington Nationals for cash considerations. Walters,

30, was 2-1 with a 4.70 ERA in four starts for the OKC Dodgers.

On deck: Dodgers at Rockies (doubleheader), Tuesday, noon and 5:30 p.m.

By Bill Plunkett

GAME 1

When: 12:10 p.m.

Where: Coors Field

TV: SportsNet LA

THE PITCHERS

RHP JUAN NICASIO (1-1, 1.29 ERA)

Nicasio has pitched well in 16 relief appearances for the Dodgers this season but they will put him back

in his former role by starting him against his former team. Nicasio spent parts of the past four seasons in

the Rockies’ rotation. He was 20-21 with a 5.12 ERA and 1.48 WHIP as a starter with the Rockies. He

hasn’t started since a two-inning outing against the San Francisco Giants on June 15.

Vs. Rockies: 0-0, 0.00

Coors Field: 13-9, 5.24 ERA

Hates to face: Daniel Descalso, 3 for 5 (.600), 1 triple

Loves to face: Wilin Rosario, 0 for 3, 1 strikeout

LHP JORGE DE LA ROSA (1-2, 6.51 ERA)

De La Rosa’s season started late because of a groin strain. Now, he was scratched from two scheduled

starts because of a cut on the middle finger of his left hand and he has not pitched since May 21. In

between, De La Rosa’s best start of the season came against the Dodgers on May 16. He took a shutout

into the eighth inning, allowing just two hits without walking a batter in 71/3 innings.

Vs. Dodgers: 6-10, 5.48 ERA

At Coors Field: 45-15, 4.18 ERA

Loves to face: Scott Van Slyke, 0 for 15, 5 strikeouts

Hates to face: Adrian Gonzalez, 17 for 46 (.370), 6 doubles, 3 home runs

GAME 2

When: 5:40 p.m.

TV: SportsNet LA

THE PITCHERS

RHP ZACK GREINKE (5-1, 1.48 ERA)

The Rockies are the only team to hang a loss on Greinke this season and the only NL West team to beat

him since he joined the Dodgers. They have done it twice – once in Sept. 2013 and again two weeks ago

when Greinke took his first loss of the season despite allowing just one run in six innings. Greinke shares

the MLB ERA lead with Shelby Miller of the Braves and leads the majors with an 0.87 WHIP. The Rockies

are 9 for 46 (.196) in Greinke’s two starts against them this year.

Vs. Rockies: 7-3, 3.44 ERA

At Coors Field: 2-0, 3.58 ERA

Loves to face: Rafael Ynoa, 0 for 3, 2 strikeouts

Hates to face: Carlos Gonzalez, 7 for 22 (.318), 1 double, 1 triple, 3 home runs

RHP DAVID HALE (2-6, 6.28 ERA)

This has become Hale’s specialty. His last two wins as a starter in the majors have come in

doubleheaders, including one in his only start with the Rockies this season. He went 62/3 innings in the

second game of a doubleheader against the Giants on May 23, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight

hits in 62/3 innings. In six starts at Triple-A Albuquerque this year, Hale is 0-2 with a 5.97 ERA and 44 hits

allowed in 312/3 innings. He faced the Dodgers three times in relief while pitching for the Braves in 2013

and 2014.

Vs. Dodgers: 0-1, 1.93 ERA

At Coors Field: 2-0, 3.00 ERA

Loves to face: Adrian Gonzalez, 0 for 3

Hates to face: Jimmy Rollins, 3 for 7 (.429), 1 double

UPCOMING MATCHUPS

Wednesday: Dodgers RHP Mike Bolsinger (3-1, 1.15) at Rockies RHP Chad Bettis (2-0, 2.96), 5:10 p.m.

LA DAILY NEWS

Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw make it look easy in 11-2 win over Colorado Rockies

By JP Hoornstra

DENVER >> Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers were due for a game like this.

Their 11-4 win over the Colorado Rockies looked easy. The consensus best pitcher in baseball hadn’t had

an easy game for a while, but the two runs Kershaw allowed Monday, both on a home run by Nolan

Arenado, could not have meant less.

The Dodgers scored six runs in the sixth inning and three more in the ninth, ensuring that Kershaw (4-3)

would have a winning record for the first time all year.

“I felt the last two (starts) especially I felt happy coming out of the game,” he said. “That’s a new feeling

for me. I try to build on that, sure.”

When was the last time Kershaw felt happy coming out of a game?

“The start before this one,” he said. “Then before that, September, I guess.”

Kershaw pitched pretty well, too. He allowed two runs over seven innings, both on Arenado’s home run.

The left-hander walked one batter and struck out seven.

The Dodgers collected 17 hits as a team. Every member of the starting lineup collected at least one and

Kershaw had three — a new career high. Andre Ethier, Howie Kendrick, Adrian Gonzalez and Joc

Pederson all hit home runs.

Gonzalez went 4-for-4 with two doubles and Ethier, Kendrick and Jimmy Rollins had two hits apiece.

Gonzalez also made several nifty picks on throws in the dirt to first base. It was a byproduct of the

shadows that covered the left side of the infield, but not the right, in the early innings of a game that

began at 6 p.m. local time.

Other than the shadows, Gonzalez said, a first baseman usually looks forward to coming to Denver. The

Dodgers scored in only three of the 27 innings they played at Busch Stadium over the weekend.

Denver is different.

“It doesn’t have anything to do with leaving St. Louis, it has to do with coming to Coors,” Gonzalez said.

“Chances are, if you put up good at-bats you’re going to have good numbers or positive stats.

“I hit two balls in St. Louis that would have been homers here, or doubles,” he continued. “They ended

up being outs. You turn two balls that could’ve been a homer and a double that could’ve been 0-for-2 —

now the series looks bad. But if those two balls are a double and a homer, now the series is not as bad.

That little bit can be the biggest difference in the world.”

Once the Dodgers were done dumping syrup on the maple-bacon goodness that is hitting at a mile-high

stadium, one piece of mystery meat remained on the platter: Who would start the first game of a

Tuesday doubleheader, a game that was scheduled to begin roughly 16 hours after the final pitch

Monday?

David Huff was brought up from Triple-A prior to the game. The veteran left-hander had started one

game already this season. But Huff pitched the eighth inning Monday, ruling him out.

Would it be Joe Wieland, who was scheduled to start for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday? Like Huff,

Wieland had already been entrusted with a spot start for the Dodgers.

Or would it be Zach Lee, the 2011 first-round draft pick who’s been knocking at the door all season with

a 2.38 earned-run average?

“We won’t start somebody that’s never started a major league game before tomorrow,” Dodgers

manager Don Mattingly said before the game.

So much for Lee.

Only after the game did Mattingly reveal that the Dodgers would recall left-handed pitcher Ian Thomas

from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Thomas had been used as a reliever by the Atlanta Braves, who traded him

to the Dodgers as part of the six-player trade that sent Juan Uribe to Atlanta last Wednesday.

Thomas would not start the game, Mattingly said. Rather, the Dodgers will have eight available relievers

for a “bullpen game,” and former Rockies pitcher Juan Nicasio will start. The veteran right-hander has a

1.29 earned-run average in 16 appearances out of the bullpen this season for the Dodgers.

The doubleheader was needed to make up a game that was rained out at Coors Field on May 9.

Dodgers manager says Andre Ethier will move to left field when Yasiel Puig returns

By JP Hoornstra

DENVER >> Andre Ethier did something so perfectly common in his first at-bat on Monday that it was

easy to lose perspective of the moment.

A left-handed hitter, Ethier hit a home run off Colorado Rockies starter Kyle Kendrick, a right-handed

pitcher. The ball disappeared into the forest at Coors Field — an actual collection of trees that’s

swallowed home runs to right-center by Carlos Gonzalez and Larry Walker and Todd Helton dozens of

times over the years. Ethier’s swing was just as classic as any of the southpaw sluggers who have called

this park home.

The home run was Ethier’s seventh of the year, in the Dodgers’ 49th game. It put the 33-year-old

outfielder on a pace to hit 23 home runs, a benchmark he hasn’t achieved in five years.

Throw in the fact that Ethier hasn’t committed an error since he took over in right field for Yasiel Puig on

April 25, and it makes perfect sense that Ethier will continue to play every day once Puig returns from

the disabled list.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said that Ethier will shift to left field upon Puig’s return. Puig will go

back to right field when he completes a minor-league rehab assignment, which Mattingly expects will

begin later this week.

The manager doesn’t usually look that far ahead. He wouldn’t even divulge his starting pitcher for Game

1 of Tuesday’s doubleheader before Monday’s game. But he’s ready to end the Scott Van Slyke/Alex

Guerrero/Kiké Hernandez platoon in left field necessitated by an oblique injury to Carl Crawford.

“I think (because of) overexposure over time you start to see teams get a chance to get better looks at

you,” Mattingly said. “We talked about Scott, trying to match him up with the right right-hander, things

like that. We have to be happy with the job our guys have done. We’ve had multiple things we’ve had to

try to overcome, and our guys have hung in pretty good for us.”

Crawford was transferred to the 60-day disabled list Monday. That means he won’t return before June

27.

In the meantime, Ethier is keeping right field warm for Puig. Hernandez kept left field warm for Ethier on

Monday because Mattingly said he wanted to put “our best defender out there” with eight right-handed

hitters in the Rockies’ lineup.

Wherever he is, Ethier will be assured of the very thing he’s been asking for all along: A place in the

Dodgers’ everyday lineup.

STULTS REMAINS IN ORGANIZATION

Left-handed pitcher Eric Stults, whom the Dodgers acquired in the recent trade that sent Juan Uribe to

the Atlanta Braves, will report to Double-A Tulsa. Stults had been designated for assignment

immediately after the trade became official.

By accepting the outright assignment, Stults returns to the club that drafted him in 2002 and employed

him at the major league level from 2006-09. In nine games (eight starts) for the Braves this season,

Stults went 1-5 with a 5.85 earned-run average.

The Dodgers were ultimately able to keep all four players they acquired for Uribe and pitcher Chris

Withrow in the organization. Pitcher Ian Thomas is in Triple-A, pitcher Juan Jaime is at extended spring

training and infielder Alberto Callaspo is on the 25-man roster.

ALSO ...

Pitcher David Huff was selected to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster from Triple-A, taking the place of

Crawford. Huff takes the 25-man roster spot of pitcher Matt West, who was optioned back to Triple-A

Oklahoma City. West was recalled prior to Sunday’s game in St. Louis but did not pitch. … Left-hander

Paco Rodriguez was scheduled to have his strained left elbow examined in Los Angeles by team

physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache. An update on Rodriguez’s prognosis was not available by game time. …

Ethier’s 649th career RBI eclipsed Matt Kemp for fifth place on the all-time Los Angeles Dodgers RBI

leaders list.

TRUEBLUELA.COM

Checking in on Adrian Gonzalez and doubles

By Eric Stephen

Adrian Gonzalez had four hits and reached base five times on Monday night against the Rockies, and the

Dodgers first baseman also added two more doubles, giving him 19 on the season, tops in the majors.

With 19 doubles in 50 team games, Gonzalez is on pace to hit 62 doubles on the season.

Nobody has hit 60 doubles in a season since 1936, when Joe Medwick hit 64 doubles for the Cardinals

and Charlie Gehringer hit 60 for the Tigers. The record is 67 doubles, by Earl Webb of the Red Sox in

1931.

Ten people in the 78 years since have hit as many as 55 doubles, including Matt Carpenter of the

Cardinals in 2013. He is just two two-baggers behind Gonzalez this season.

The Dodgers record for doubles is 52, set by Johnny Frederick in 1929, his rookie season (Frederick was

27). He is the only Dodgers player to hit 50 doubles in a season.

MOST DOUBLES BY A DODGER THROUGH 50 TEAM GAMES

Player Year Thru 50g Season

Jackie Robinson 1950 22 39

Babe Herman 1929 19 42

Dixie Walker 1944 19 37

Shawn Green 2000 19 44

Adrian Gonzalez 2015 19 TBD

1914-2015; Source: Baseball-Reference

With 19 doubles through 50 team games, Gonzalez is tied for second-most at this point in the season by

a Dodger, at least dating back to 1914. The only Dodger with more doubles through 50 games was Jackie

Robinson with 22 doubles in 1950, on his way to 39 for the season.

Since joining the Dodgers in The Punto Trade™ in August 2012, Gonzalez has hit 102 doubles in 410

team games, a pace of just over 40 doubles per 162 games. If he keeps up that 40-double pace the rest

of the season, that would give Gonzalez 28 more doubles over the final 112 games of the season, and 47

on the year.

That would tie Gonzalez for fourth-most doubles by a Dodger with Wes Parker in 1970, the last Dodger

to lead the National League.

There have only been 22 Dodgers seasons of 40 or more doubles, including just 10 in Los Angeles.

Gonzalez joined that club with 41 doubles in 2014. Gonzalez also has seasons of 47, 46 and 45 doubles,

and averaged 38 doubles from 2006-2014.

With his two doubles on Monday, Gonzalez tied current Dodgers broadcaster Nomar Garciaparra - he is

taking this series off, by the way - for 234th place on the all-time list with 370 doubles. Up next are Pie

Traynor and Gary Carter with 371.

Gonzalez this season has five doubles in just three games at Coors Field, and is 8-for-11 with five runs

batted in. Before this season, since joining the Dodgers Gonzalez at Coors Field was only hitting

.239/.303/.375 with three doubles in 22 games.

Against Rockies Game 1 starter Jorge De La Rosa, Gonzalez is hitting .370/.455/.696 with six doubles,

three home runs, 14 RBI and eight walks in 56 plate appearances.

Game info

Time: 12:10 p.m. PT

TV: SportsNet LA

Cody Bellinger has key hits in Quakes doubleheader sweep

By Craig Minami

Player of the day

Cody Bellinger continued his hot play with two solid games that helped the Quakes sweep their

doubleheader. Bellinger hit a 3-run home run in the first game and then came right back to double in a

run in the second game.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City gave up their highest amount of runs since April 14th as Fresno (Astros) defeated

Oklahoma City 14-1. New Orleans had beaten Oklahoma City 14-8 last April.

The win salvaged a series split, which was also a rarity at home for Oklahoma City as they had won their

first five series at home.

Oklahoma City's highlight of the day was the RBI single by Andy Wilkins that tied the game 1-1 in the

first inning. After that, it all went downhill.

Trailing 2-1, Fresno had 14 batters bat in fourth inning and nine of them scored; the inning was

highlighted by a Nolan Fontana grand slam.

Oklahoma City did have two position players pitch, infielder Elliot Johnson pitched the eighth and retired

the side in order and in the ninth, catcher Ralph Henriquez, who walked two but got out of the inning

with no runs scored.

Double-A Tulsa

Tulsa was off on Monday

Class-A Rancho Cucamonga

Rancho Cucamonga scored early in the first game and then scored late in the second game. By doing so,

Rancho Cucamonga swept Bakersfield (Mariners) 5-2 and 3-2 to win their seventh straight overall and

fourteenth straight at home.

Cody Bellinger's three-run home run in the first gave Rancho Cucamonga the early lead in the first game

and pitchers Rudy Owens, Victor Araujo and A.J. Vanegas made it stand up.

Kyle Farmer went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Joey Curletta was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

In the second game, Bellinger doubled in the first run of the game and pitcher Jeff Brigham took it from

there.

Brigham pitched six strong innings, allowing an unearned run, two hits, one walk and striking out eight.

Rob Rogers gave up a run in the seventh to give Bakersfield a chance to win the game.

But in the bottom of the seventh and two out, Brian Wolfe singled in Dillon Moyer to tie the game. In

the eighth, Robbie Garvey singled and was sacrificed to second. A wild pitch moved Garvey to third and

Brandon Trinkwon hit a sacrifice fly to win the game.

Low Class-A Great Lakes

Great Lakes led Bowling Green (Rays) early but then Bowling Green scored the last five runs of the game

to win 8-4.

Victor Gonzalez gave up five runs and eight hits in five innings. Karch Kowalczyk and J.D. Underwood

gave up one and two runs respectively.

Alex Verdugo was 2-for-4 including his first home run of the season. Jacob Scavuzzo also went 2-for-4.

Transactions

Triple-A: Dodgers selected the contract of pitcher David Huff and optioned pitcher Matt West to

Oklahoma City. Pitcher Ryan Dennick assigned to Oklahoma City from Tulsa.

Class-A: Pitcher Rudy Owens assigned from Oklahoma City to Rancho Cucamonga. Pitcher Ramon

Benjamin assigned to Ogden.

Low Class-A: Pitcher Victor Gonzalez assigned to Great Lakes from Ogden. Placed pitcher Kevin Guzman

on the 7-day disabled list retroactive to May 30, 2015.

Monday box scores

Fresno 14, Oklahoma City 1

Game 1: Rancho Cucamonga 5, Bakersfield 2 (7)

Game 2: Rancho Cucamonga 3, Bakersfield 2 (8)

Bowling Green 8, Great Lakes 4

DSL Dodgers 2, DSL Rojos (Reds) 0

Tuesday schedule

7:30 a.m. PT: DSL Dodgers vs. DSL Giants

5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Chris Anderson) vs. Midland (Athletics) (Chris Jensen)

5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Joe Wieland) vs. Sacramento (Giants) (Nick Turley)

7:05 p.m.:Rancho Cucamonga (Zack Bird) vs. Bakersfield (Eddie Campbell)

Dodgers nearing decision on David Aardsma

By Eric Stephen

The Dodgers have a few days to make a decision on relief pitcher David Aardsma, who reportedly has an

extension on his June 1 opt-out clause to become a free agent if not added to the active roster, per a

report from Jacob Unruh of The Oklahoman on Monday:

Now, he’s either a few days away from Los Angeles or free agency depending on the outcome of his opt-

out clause that leaves the Dodgers a 72-hour window to promote him. Either way, he feels he’s primed

for a comeback.

"The biggest challenge is to get an opportunity," Aardsma said. "That’s all you can do. I felt like I did that

in spring training where I really put myself in the right spot to where I can be successful here. Then it’s

finding the right organization at the right time that will give you that opportunity.

The Dodgers have not commented on the report.

If the Dodgers decide to add Aardsma to the active roster, they would also need to make a

corresponding move to make room on the 40-man roster.

Aardsma, signed to a minor league contract on Feb. 19, had a 2.55 ERA in 19 games with Triple-A

Oklahoma City, with 21 strikeouts and seven walks in 17⅔ innings, and a Pacific Coast League-leading 15

saves.

Opposing batters this season have hit .185/.264/.231 against Aardsma, with no home runs. Unruh also

reported that Aardsma has averaged between 91-93 mph on his fastball with Oklahoma City this season,

an increase over 2014.

At his peak when he was saving 69 games with a 143 ERA+ in 2009-2010 with the Mariners, Aardsma

averaged 94.68 mph on his four-seam fastball, per Brooks Baseball.

Aardsma last pitched on Thursday, his sixth consecutive scoreless appearance. He remains on the active

roster for OKC, though he didn't pitch on Monday night in a 14-1 loss that saw Oklahoma City use two

position players as pitchers.

Juan Nicasio will start first game of doubleheader, Ian Thomas to be 26th man

By Eric Stephen

Juan Nicasio will start for the Dodgers in the first game of their doubleheader against the Rockies on

Tuesday, the team announced after Monday night's 11-4 win over Colorado.

Both the Dodgers and Rockies are allowed to utilize an extra roster spot for Tuesday's doubleheader per

MLB rules, giving each a 26th man on the active roster for one day, but Nicasio is already on the active

roster.

The 26th man will reportedly be left-hander Ian Thomas, acquired last Wednesday in the six-player trade

with the Braves, per multiple reports after Monday's game at Coors Field.

The first game, a 12:10 p.m. PT start, will essentially be a bullpen game for the Dodgers, as Nicasio has

pitched in relief all season. He has pitched three innings once all season, the only time he pitched longer

than two innings. His season high is 43 pitches. He last pitched 1⅓ innings on Friday, throwing 17 pitches

in St. Louis.

Nicasio has been very good out of the bullpen for the Dodgers this season, with a 1.29 ERA and 2.00 FIP,

striking out 28 batters in 21 innings, with 11 walks.

Most of the first four years of his major league career was as a starter, making 69 starts for the Rockies.

But poor performance led to him getting designated for assignment in November, and the Dodgers

seized the opportunity to pick him up off the scrap heap, acquiring him for minor league outfielder Noel

Cuevas.

Nicasio is 13-9 with a 5.24 ERA in 37 career games at Coors Field, including 26 starts, with 163 strikeouts

and 67 walks in 199⅓ innings.

Thomas has been mostly a reliever as well, though the Dodgers plan to stretch him out as a starting

pitcher in Triple-A. His longest outing this season in the majors or minors was three innings, and he has

lasted at least two innings in six other appearances.

The left-handed Thomas made his debut with Oklahoma City in relief on Thursday, allowing six runs on

eight hits in 2⅓ innings, including two home runs.

The 26th man can be used in both games if needed.

It is a bit puzzling that the Dodgers passed over both Joe Wieland, who could have started on Tuesday

on regular rest, and Zach Lee, who was removed from his start on Friday after just three innings and 40

pitches. Either could have been called up to start, but neither were.

Zack Greinke starts the second game for the Dodgers on Tuesday, a 5:40 p.m. PT start.

David Hale, who started Thursday for Triple-A Albuquerque, will be called up by Colorado to start the

second game of the doubleheader Tuesday, per Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. Jorge De La Rosa

starts the first game for the Rockies on Tuesday.

Home runs back Clayton Kershaw as Dodgers rout Rockies

By Eric Stephen

The Dodgers offense broke out in a big way in the series opener against the Rockies. Even pitcher

Clayton Kershaw joined in the fun, both at the plate and on the mound in an 11-4 win over Colorado on

Monday night at Coors Field.

The Dodgers tied a season high with four home runs, and had their second-best outputs with 11 runs

and 18 hits.

Four home runs get the headlines for the Dodgers offense on Monday, with solo shots by Andre Ethier

and Jimmy Rollins in the second inning; and three-run shots by Joc Pederson in the sixth and Howie

Kendrick in the eighth. But it was a sustained rally in that sixth inning, with seven hits and two walks

leading to a season-high-tying six runs in the frame, that separated Los Angeles from Colorado in the

series opener.

The six runs by the Dodgers in the sixth inning on Monday matched the total of their previous six road

games.

Kershaw joined in the fun with an RBI single in the sixth, but also singled in the second and doubles in

the fifth, for the first three-hit game of his career. It was the first three-hit game by a Dodgers pitcher

since Zack Greinke on July 8, 2013.

On the mound, Kershaw was pretty good, too.

He left a 3-1 fastball over the plate that Nolan Arenado crushed into the center field seats for a two-run

shot in the fourth inning that tied the game at 2-2. But other than that Kershaw barely allowed a thing,

striking out seven in his seven innings, his third consecutive start lasting at least that long.

Ethier homered and tripled, continuing his fine renaissance season. It was the sixth career game for

Ethier with a triple and a home run.

Pederson's home run was hit against reliever Christian Friedrich in the sixth inning, the second home run

against a left-handed pitcher in two days, the first two such home runs in his career. It was also the first

home run ever allowed by Friedrich in relief, after 33⅔ innings of solid relief since converting from

starting.

In addition to making at least three highlight-worthy plays at second base, Kendrick had two hits and

drove in four runs, matching his home run and RBI totals on the road coming into Monday night, in 20

games.

Gonzalez managed to quietly mix in a 4-for-4 night with two doubles and a walk, the first time this

season he reached base at least five times, and 14th time in his career. Gonzalez leads the major leagues

with 19 doubles.

Every Dodger starter reached base at least twice except A.J. Ellis, who singled and scored in five at-bats.

David Huff relieved Kershaw for the eight inning, ending any speculation Huff might start on Tuesday in

the first game of the doubleheader. Huff allowed two runs on four hits in his inning of work.

Monday particulars

Home runs: Andre Ethier (7), Jimmy Rollins (6), Joc Pederson (14), Howie Kendrick (5); Nolan Arenado

(13)

WP - Clayton Kershaw (4-3): 7 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts

LP - Kyle Kendrick (2-7): 5⅓ IP, 10 hits, 6 runs (5 earned runs), 2 walks, 1 strikeout

ESPN LA

Clayton Kershaw is starting to feel right again

By Mark Saxon

DENVER -- The rest of Major League Baseball probably liked Clayton Kershaw better when he was

grumpy.

The last two times Kershaw has walked off a mound after one of his starts, he said he felt joy he hadn't

experienced in a while. In fact, since just about…

"September, I guess," he said.

Good news for the Kershaw household and those who root for the Dodgers, bad news for major league

hitters: Whatever pressure Kershaw was feeling earlier this season seems to have eased off his

shoulders. Maybe, just maybe, that means the run many people have expected from Kershaw for a

while now is in its early steps.

Kershaw looked like he was playing a kid's game again on Monday during the Los Angeles Dodgers' 11-4

win over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. He swung the bat with abandon. At one point, a

comebacker ricocheted off his glove arm. He scrambled after it, picked it up and threw to first in time.

Then, when the infielders gathered around him to see if he was OK, he started laughing.

He yucked it up in the clubhouse afterward with country music star Toby Keith, someone he has known

for a few years.

Kershaw struck out seven batters, walked one and gave up five hits Monday. That is kind of the Coors

Field version of what he had done the start before: strike out 10 guys and pitch seven shutout innings at

Dodger Stadium. For the first time this season, Kershaw senses he is building a sense of positive

momentum in his season. No wonder he's finally in a good mood. It's no fun to have a 4.32 ERA near the

end of May, especially when you're the reigning Cy Young and MVP winner.

"The last two, especially, I felt happy coming out of the game, so that's a new feeling for me," Kershaw

said. "I'll try to build on that for sure."

Kershaw (4-3) isn't alone among pitchers in liking to take his hacks. Zack Greinke is good at it, too, as is

San Francisco Giants lefty Madison Bumgarner, who became the first pitcher to take Kershaw deep a

couple of weeks ago. Kershaw owns Colorado starter Kyle Kendrick, at least if sample size isn't an issue.

In seven career at-bats off him, he has five hits, including three doubles. He went 3-for-3 Monday,

including a double. He drove in a run during the Dodgers' six-run sixth inning.

That had to make him feel like part of the team. Everybody else was doing it. The Dodgers had 18 hits,

including four home runs.

Afterward, talking about the sense of freedom he feels as a hitter, Kershaw gave a rare glimpse into the

pressure he must feel as an elite pitcher, probably the elite pitcher of this generation.

"I think in a way, it's a little more fun, because there's not the pressure of needing to succeed, you

know?" Kershaw said. "At times, it's not very much fun when you keep striking out, but I guess it's

almost like a free pass. There's not a whole lot of pressure on you to succeed."

While a little dose of success and a rare dash of good luck seem to have buoyed the Dodgers' aces

spirits, the offense got all the lift it needed from simply landing at Denver International Airport Sunday

night. Coming into this series, the Dodgers' last two road series had been in San Francisco and St. Louis

and those big ballparks and talented pitching staffs had shut them out four times. Adrian Gonzalez said

Coors Field was the perfect antidote for what ailed this offense. Gonzalez had been robbed of extra

bases twice by St. Louis left fielder Randal Grichuk over the weekend.

"So, you turn two balls that could have been a homer and a double into an 0-for-2 and now the series as

a whole looks bad," Gonzalez said. "That little difference can be all the difference in the world."

As much as Coors Field can boost a hitter's confidence, it can get in a pitcher's head. Kershaw is 8-3 here

with a 4.59 ERA. Considering two of his three pitches are breaking balls and those are typically less

effective at higher altitude, it's not a place that is set up for him to succeed. But he doesn't let it defeat

him before he takes the mound.

"If you're stuff's good, it's going to be good here, too," he said.

Even superstar pitchers and nine-figure lineups have lapses in confidence over a long season. Monday

was a good day for the Dodgers to get some of their swag back.

Kershaw, Pederson lead Dodgers to 11-4 win over Rockies

By Associated Press

DENVER -- Clayton Kershaw's hitting actually overshadowed his pitching.

Now that doesn't happen every day.

Kershaw had a career-high three hits to back his strong pitching performance and Joc Pederson lined

one of Los Angeles' four homers, helping the Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 11-4 on Monday night.

"In a way (hitting) is a little bit more fun, because there's not the pressure of needing to succeed,"

Kershaw said.

Known for that fearsome left arm, Kershaw (4-3) is not exactly known for his fearsome compact left-

handed swing. He had a double and two singles, including a run-scoring liner to left as part of a six-run

sixth that broke open a tight game.

He hasn't lost to the Rockies in nearly two years, spanning nine starts. Even more, he's found something

in his technique, looking sharp in back-to-back starts. The last time he's felt this good in two straight

appearances?

"Last September, I guess," said Kershaw, who went seven innings and allowed two runs.

Andre Ethier and Jimmy Rollins hit solo homers in the second off Kyle Kendrick (2-7), who gave up six

runs -- five earned -- in 5 1/3 innings. He's allowed 15 homers this season, tying James Shields for most

in the majors.

"He didn't have his `A' stuff tonight like he has recently," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "But I

thought he battled with what he had and got to a point in the game where he put us in pretty good

position."

Nolan Arenado hits a two-run homer off Kershaw in the fourth. It was his third straight game with a

homer, the longest stretch of his career.

Colorado returned home with some momentum after winning four straight away from Coors Field.

What's more, the weather was clear again, too -- something that hasn't happened all that often at home

in recent weeks. The Rockies and Dodgers will play a doubleheader Tuesday to make up a game that was

rained out May 9.

The right-handed Kendrick unraveled in the sixth. It began with Ethier's leadoff triple and didn't end

until the Dodgers' sent 12 batters to the plate. They had seven hits in the inning, including Pederson's

three-run shot to deep center off reliever Christian Friedrich, the first homer he's allowed in more than

38 innings. Howie Kendrick connected on a three-run homer in the eighth.

Adrian Gonzalez had four hits, including two doubles, and is hitting .441 in nine games against Colorado

this season.

"We had a lot of guys swing the ball well tonight," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "It's good to

see."

RISKY SHADOWS

The setting sun makes things miserable for first basemen this time of year. It bordered on dangerous,

Gonzalez said.

"It almost forces the third baseman to short hop the ball," Gonzalez said. "I'm surprised they haven't put

up some kind of billboard, something to block the sun. It could literally hit the first baseman in the face."

COUNTRY CROONER

The music of country singer Toby Keith boomed from the speakers in the clubhouse after the game.

Fitting, since Keith happened to be in there paying a visit to the team.

Keith wore a Denver Broncos hat early, before switching over to a Dodgers cap.

"I like Toby a lot," Kershaw said. "He's a baseball fan."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Dodgers: OF Carl Crawford (strained oblique) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list. Mattingly said

Crawford is "getting better, but he hasn't started swinging or doing any baseball (activities). It's been

over a month." ... OF Yasiel Puig (strained left hamstring) ran Monday and will take batting practice

Tuesday. Mattingly said Puig may be headed out on a rehab assignment later this week.

Rockies: RHP Jordan Lyles went on the 15-day DL with a left big toe injury. He's hoping to avoid surgery.

... INF Ben Paulsen said he "feels good" a day after leaving the game in Philly with a migraine. ... OF

Corey Dickerson (plantar fasciitis) worked in the outfield and ran the bases Monday. "Positive signs from

Corey," Weiss said.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: Los Angeles will start righty Juan Nicasio in Game 1 of the doubleheader Tuesday. RHP Zack

Greinke (5-1, 1.48) will pitch the night game. He's 6-2 against Colorado since joining the Dodgers.

Rockies: Cut middle finger and all, lefty Jorge De La Rosa (1-2, 6.51) takes the mound in the opening

game of the doubleheader. Righty David Hale (1-0, 2.70) joins the team from Triple-A Albuquerque and

will pitch the second contest.

Rapid Reaction: Dodgers 11, Rockies 4

By Mark Saxon

DENVER -- So much for the lament that they can't hit on the road. So much for the, “What's wrong with

Clayton Kershaw,” stories.

The Los Angeles Dodgers' ace dominated for the second outing in a row and his teammates backed him

up with all sorts of scoring, including four home runs, in an 11-4 win over the Colorado Rockies Monday

night.

How it happened: Much of it was bad luck and some poor relief work from the pitchers who followed

him, but the fact remained that Kershaw had a 4.32 ERA just two starts ago. After following up seven

shutout innings with something just as impressive Monday -- two runs in seven innings at Coors Field --

Kershaw (4-3) has his season finally moving in the right direction. Colorado scored its only runs on Nolan

Arenado's two-run home run in the fourth inning. Kershaw struck out seven batters and walked one.

The Dodgers, who were frustrated by Cardinals pitching over the weekend, hit a couple of solo home

runs early. But they really busted out in the sixth inning, equaling their biggest output of the season: six

runs. The big blow was Joc Pederson's three-run home run off reliever Christian Friedrich, but the

Dodgers applied all sorts of pressure to starter Kyle Kendrick. Several Dodgers had big nights at the

plate, including Kershaw -- who had three hits. Andre Ethier homered and tripled.

What it means: The Dodgers continue to dominate every team in their division other than the San

Francisco Giants. Against the Rockies, San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks, the Dodgers are 18-

7. Against everyone else, they're 12-13.

Notable: Pederson tied a franchise rookie record last month by bashing nine home runs, a feat matched

only by James Loney in September 2007. Pederson carried his powerful hitting into June with Monday's

blast, which carried deep to center field. Pederson is on pace to hit more than 30 home runs, the first

Dodger rookie to do so since Mike Piazza in 1993. Pederson also made an outstanding play throwing out

Wilin Rosario out at second base. He fielded a carom off the center-field wall with his bare hand and

made a strong, accurate throw. ... Kershaw can't say this about many opposing pitchers, but he owns

Kendrick. In seven career at-bats, Kershaw has five hits, three of which are doubles. ... Jimmy Rollins,

who slumped through the first two months, got the new month off to a strong start. He homered,

singled, walked and lined out.

Up next: On Tuesday, the Dodgers play their first doubleheader, a result of a May 9 rain-out here. The

Dodgers haven't announced their starting pitcher for the first game, which starts at 12:10 p.m. PT.

Colorado will go with Jorge De La Rosa (1-2, 6.51) in the first game and David Hale (1-0, 2.70) in the

second game. Zack Greinke (5-1, 1.48) will start the night game, which starts at 5:40 p.m. PT.

Don Mattingly rules out Zach Lee for doubleheader start

By Mark Saxon

DENVER -- Zach Lee must be wondering what he has to do to get his first major-league opportunity.

The Los Angeles Dodgers' 2010 first-round pick has bounced back from a rough 2014 season to go 5-3

with a 2.38 ERA and 1.09 WHIP for Triple-A Oklahoma City this season. He has walked just 12 batters and

struck out 44. But Dodgers manager Don Mattingly ended media speculation that Lee would start Game

1 of Wednesday’s doubleheader at Coors Field Wednesday by saying the team will not be using a pitcher

making his major-league debut.

Pitching at Coors Field's altitude could have something to do with it. Lee, 23, had a 5.39 ERA when the

Dodgers played their Triple-A home games in Albuquerque, which has a nearly identical altitude to

Denver. Lee was pulled after three innings Friday night and Mattingly said he is healthy, leading to

speculation he would pitch for the Dodgers Tuesday.

The Dodgers instead promoted left-hander David Huff from Triple-A Oklahoma City before Monday

night’s game, and it sounds as if he will start the first game of the doubleheader unless the Dodgers

have to use Huff out of the bullpen Monday.

“This game today really dictates what we do tomorrow,” Mattingly said. “We’ll see what happens in this

game and then we’ll make a decision after it.”

To make room on the 25-man roster for Huff, the Dodger sent reliever Matt West -- who spent one day

in the big leagues without pitching -- back to Oklahoma City. To make room on the 40-man roster, they

put Carl Crawford on the 60-day disabled list. The Crawford move is largely meaningless since he is still

recovering from a torn left oblique muscle and wasn’t considered likely to return this month anyway.

“He hasn’t started swinging or doing any baseball stuff and it’s been over a month,” Mattingly said.

Yasiel Puig, on the other hand, continues to make progress. He ran in Arizona Monday and Mattingly

said his left hamstring is responding well to rehab. Puig will take live batting practice Tuesday is

expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment late this week and, perhaps, return to the Dodgers

some time next week.

When that happens, Mattingly said, Andre Ethier will become the Dodgers’ primary left fielder.

Nationals shuffle bullpen; acquire Walters from Dodgers

By Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- The Nationals recalled left-hander Felipe Rivero and optioned left-hander Matt Grace

to Triple-A Syracuse on Monday.

The Nationals also acquired minor league pitcher P.J. Walters from the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash

considerations.

Grace, 26, went 2-1 with a 5.25 ERA in 12 innings over 17 appearances. He allowed four runs and three

hits without recording an out in Washington's 8-2 loss at Cincinnati on Sunday.

Rivero, 23, pitched one inning during his big league debut on April 17, allowing one run. He was placed

on the 15-day disabled list on April 22 before being assigned to Syracuse. In eight games at Triple-A,

Rivero went 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA.

Walters, 30, was assigned to Syracuse. The right-hander made five starts between Double-A Tulsa and

Triple-A Oklahoma City this season.

Washington opens a three-game interleague series at home against Toronto on Monday.

DODGER INSIDER

Colorado wither report: Dodgers reign

By Jon Weisman

Good news: The only rain in the game at Colorado tonight consisted of Dodger home runs — four of ’em

— in an 11-4 victory.

Andre Ethier and Jimmy Rollins each hit second-inning home runs, and then after the Rockies tied the

game, Joc Pederson and Howie Kendrick homered as part of an 18-hit night for Los Angeles.

After hitting the first 12 homers of his season/career against right-handed pitchers, Pederson has hit

two in two days against lefties.

Adrian Gonzalez had the 28th four-hit game of his career (including one six-hit game), second of the

season and sixth as a Dodger.

Kendrick had an RBI single and three-run homer when he wasn’t putting on a defensive show.

Ethier, the right fielder who is closer to becoming a left fielder as Yasiel Puig slowly nears a return, had a

triple to go with his homer.

Clayton Kershaw had the 11th multihit game of his career and first with three hits.

Kershaw’s past two starts: 14 innings, two runs, nine hits, one walk, 17 strikeouts.

The Dodgers announced late tonight that Juan Nicasio would start Game 1 of Tuesday’s doubleheader,

in what will be a bullpen game. Nicasio will be the Dodgers’ 10th starting pitcher this year.

Dodgers move Carl Crawford to 60-day DL, arrive in Colorado in a Huff, send West east

By Jon Weisman

Just for the record, the Dodgers made no transactions Friday. But we’re back in the daily swing of things,

or thing of swings.

A day after being called up, reliever Matt West was optioned back to Triple-A Oklahoma City, replaced

on the roster by swingman David Huff.

Huff’s arrival also means the move of Carl Crawford to the 60-day disabled list, meaning that we won’t

see the Dodger outfielder in a game until the end of June at the earliest. Crawford, who has a .260 on-

base percentage and .408 slugging percentage in 50 plate appearances this season, last played for the

Dodgers on April 27.

Today’s move doesn’t necessarily mean Huff will be Zack Greinke’s starting-pitcher partner in Tuesday’s

doubleheader. For that day, the Dodgers can add a 26th man to their roster — who that will be has yet

to be announced.

Huff made his lone appearance for the Dodgers on April 14 against the Mariners, allowing back-to-back

homers to Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz in a four-run, four-inning start with eight baserunners and

two strikeouts.

With Oklahoma City this year, Huff has a 2.35 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in 23 innings, allowing 19 hits and

walking only two while striking out 18.

The Dodgers also sent 30-year-old minor leaguer P.J. Walters to the Nationals for cash considerations.

Pitching five innings with Double-A Tulsa and 23 with Oklahoma City, Walters had a 4.82 ERA and 1.64

WHIP with 20 strikeouts. He has a 6.28 ERA in 152 career MLB innings.

Inside the #RallyBanana: A Dodger Insider special

By Jon Weisman

Today, we launch a new Dodger Insider feature, which will take select magazine stories and blog posts

and display them on a whole new level. For our inaugural effort, click above and let Matthew Mesa take

you into the fascinating, living-on-peel’s-edge world of Kiké Hernandez and the Rally Banana.

YAHOO SPORTS

Closing Time: Andre Ethier, back in the game; can't touch Jason Hammel

By Scott Pianowski

A few years ago, Andre Ethier was a pretty big deal. He made a couple of All-Star teams, won a Gold

Glove, snagged an $85 million contract extension in 2012. It looked like he’d be part of the landscape in

Los Angeles for seasons to come, blending in with Vin Scully and the palm trees.

The big contract turned into a line of demarcation for Ethier. He struggled through a second-half slump

in 2012, and things got worse in the next two seasons. For much of 2014, he was a fourth outfielder, a

part-time player, someone you could safely ignore in mixed leagues. A .249/.322/.370 slash doesn’t

make much of a case for fantasy relevance. Into his age-33 season, no one was expecting much.

When the Dodgers opened the 2015 season, their planned outfield had Carl Crawford in left, Joc

Pederson in center and Yasiel Puig in right. Alas, these things are never a good bet to last all season, and

the injury bug chomped on the Dodgers quickly. Crawford (oblique) and Puig (hamstring) hit the DL

before the end of April, forcing Ethier back into the regular lineup again.

Call it a happy accident for the Dodgers. Since Puig last saw the field on April 24, Ethier is on a .311-17-6-

17 binge. He’s getting on base (.392 OPB), hitting the ball with authority (.566 slugging), and controlling

his at-bats (just one more strikeout than walk). If you rank Yahoo outfielders over that time period,

Ethier comes out as the No. 22 man, a solid OF 2 or 3 for any roster. The Dodgers cranked four home

runs in Monday’s laugher at Colorado, with Ethier planting one in the shrubbery.

Puig is making progress with his recovery and might kick off a rehab assignment this week, but I can’t

see Ethier’s story fading to black anytime soon. Crawford is still weeks away from entering the

conversation, and the Dodgers might finally recognize that Crawford should be the odd player out,

anyway. There are a handful of other outfield candidates that L.A. will consider (Scott Van Slyke

sometimes, Alex Guerrero sometimes); Ethier beats Van Slyke at the plate, and is superior to Guerrero in

the field (so is a lawn chair, but hey, the man can hit).

Bottom line, I expect Ethier to stick around as a regular for most of the year, even if it’s primarily against

right-handed pitching. (He’s had lefty issues in previous seasons, not this year in a limited sample.) And

who’s to say the injured Dodgers come back seamlessly? Until they’re on the field and producing, Ethier

has nothing to worry about.

NBC LA

Dodgers Go Home Run Happy in Colorado, Rout Rockies 11-4

By Michael Duarte

The Dodgers teed off against Colorado pitching on Monday as Los Angeles hit four home runs in an 11-4

rout of the Rockies.

Clayton Kershaw won his second consecutive game allowing two runs on just five hits with seven

strikeouts in seven innings. Kershaw (4-3) struggled earlier in the season, but is 2-0 with an ERA of 1.28

in his last two outings.

"The last two I've felt happy coming out of the game," Kershaw joked. "That's a new feeling for me, so

hopefully I can build on that keep it going."

Kershaw continued his dominance of their division foes. In his last nine starts, Kershaw is undefeated

against the Rockies, a period that has spanned nearly two years.

The Dodgers must have enjoyed the mile high air as the home run derby began in the second inning

when the Boys in Blue went deep twice. Andre Ethier started the barrage with a solo shot to dead

center.

Two batters later, Jimmy Rollins hit a blast to right off of his former Phillies teammate Kyle Kendrick.

"Knowing Kyle's mentality gave me an advantage," Rollins said. "I know when he's on and when he's not.

But he knows that also. So he may try and do things to trick you. There wasn't too much tricking on that

home run."

The homer was Rollins first hit since been placed near the bottom of the batting order on Saturday. Prior

to Tuesday, Rollins was 0-for-7 since moving down in the lineup.

"I've been working on my swing lately and watching Barry Bonds in particular," Rollins continued.

"Sometimes you come up to the box and you feel good, I felt good, I got a good swing and hit it out."

Kendrick (2-7) fell to the Dodgers for the third time this season surrendering six runs on 10 hits in 5.1

innings.

Nolan Arenado continued his hitting streak with a two-run home run to left-center in the fourth inning.

Kershaw tried to sneak a fastball inside on the Gold Glove third baseman, and Arenado made the

reigning Cy Young winner pay with his 13th long ball of the season.

The Dodgers blew the game open in the top of the sixth. Andre Ethier led off with a triple, and scored a

pitch later on a single up the middle by Kiké Hernandez.

With runners on first and second with one out, Kershaw helped his own cause with an RBI single to left

field. Kershaw fooled Kendrick magnificently as he appeared to be laying down a bunt only to pull back

and slap a single to left. The old "Butcher Boy" play gave the Dodgers a 4-2 lead, and the pitch to

Kershaw would be Kendrick's last.

"Donny and I talked about, showing bunt, and then getting a better pitch to hit," Kershaw said of the at-

bat. "It worked, and was probably the most important hit of the night for me."

The next batter was rookie Joc Pederson, who leads all Rookies in home runs with 13. That didn't last

long as Pederson pummeled a fastball to the deepest part of the park for a three-run homer. The long

ball was Pederson's 14th on the season.

Howie Kendrick hit a three-run homer in the top half of the eighth inning as the Dodgers piled on more

runs against the lowly Rockies. Kendrick finished the game 2-for-5 with a double, home run and four

RBIs.

"We started off the season so hot, but we went through a little bit of a slump there," Kendrick said.

"Hopefully, this is a sign that were are turning things over."

David Huff appeared in relief in the bottom half of the inning. Huff was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma

City earlier in the day, and was expected to make a spot start during the day/night doubleheader on

Tuesday.

With Huff on the mound on Monday, Tuesday's afternoon starter could be either Joe Wieland (who had

a rough debut in Milwaukee last month), or minor league star, and top pitching prospect, Zach Lee. If

Lee gets the call, it would give the Dodgers a two-headed "Zack Attack" with Lee and Greinke.

Adrian Gonzalez went 4-for-4 with two doubles, giving him an MLB-best 19 two-baggers on the season.

Kershaw went 3-for-4 with a career-high three hits, a double and an RBI as every Dodger in the lineup 1-

9 had a hit on Tuesday. In total the Dodgers scored 11 runs on 18 hits as they feasted on Colorado

pitching.

Game Notes:

Andre Ethier passed Matt Kemp on the Dodgers all-time RBI list with 649 runs batted in. It's safe to say,

Kemp probably won't be able to catch him.

Dodgers Place Paco Rodriguez on Disabled List, Who Will Start on Tuesday?

By Michael Duarte

Following their 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, the Los Angeles Dodgers placed left-handed

relief pitcher Paco Rodriguez on the 15-day disabled list.

Rodriguez had appeared to be back to his 2013 form when he was the key left-handed arm out of the

bullpen during the Dodgers playoff run that had them within two games of heading to their first World

Series since 1988.

Rodriguez had a 2.61 ERA with just three earned runs allowed in over 10 innings of work. Rodriguez

threw scoreless innings in 15 of his 18 appearances this season. The Cuban reliever experienced pain in

his pitching elbow and the Dodgers have listed the injury as an elbow strain.

"Probably for the past three or four outings, Paco hasn't felt quite right," Dodgers Manager Don

Mattingly said. "He just feels like he doesn't have true finish on the ball. He's not having any pain per se,

but we know he's having trouble getting extended and finishing pitches."

Initially, the Dodgers recalled pitcher Matt West from Triple-A Oklahoma City in Rodriguez's stead, but

the roster opening coincides with a day-night doubleheader in Denver on Tuesday, June 2nd. Zack

Greinke is slated to start the night game, but who will pitch in the 12:10 PM afternoon game is still open

for debate.

Zach Lee was rumored to be starting the first game after he was taken out after three innings in his

scheduled start in Triple-A on Saturday. The possibility of a "Zack Attack" Tuesday was exciting to fans,

but now it appears Lee most likely won't start the morning game.

David Huff was recalled from Triple-A late on Monday, but Joe Wieland is also an option for the Dodgers.

Both Huff and Wieland have made one spot start for Los Angeles earlier in the season, and both were

tagged for early runs making their outings disappointing to say the least.

To make room for Huff on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers moved left-fielder Carl Crawford to the 60-

day disabled list. Crawford was originally placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 28th with a strained

oblique muscle, and has been rehabbing in Arizona. With the move to the 60-day DL, Crawford won't be

eligible to return to the team until June 27th.

The Dodgers have made a league-high 26 roster moves through the first 49 games of the season.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

There’s a New Top ‘Joc’ in Los Angeles

By Andrew Beaton

Mike Trout is already the face of Major League Baseball. Bryce Harper is probably the most exciting

player in the game. Kris Bryant is the would-be savior on Chicago’s North Side. But there is another

player under 25 who is quickly emerging as one of the best players on a team with a league-leading $250

million-plus payroll.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson, 23, slugged nine home runs in May, lifting an offense that

has been without star slugger Yasiel Puig, who has been sidelined since late April with a hamstring

injury. Pederson’s 13 homers through Sunday ranks eighth in baseball. His wins above replacement, a

stat that quantifies a player’s contributions, ranks third among all outfielders—behind only Harper and

Trout, according to FanGraphs.

Like Trout, Pederson has the potential to excel in all facets of the game. He is considered an above-

average defender in center field and quick on the base paths. Even though he has only two steals in six

attempts this year, he stole at least 30 bases in his two previous seasons in the minor leagues.

In a twist on expectations, Bryant, the heralded Cubs rookie slugger, actually has more stolen bases, five,

than Pederson this year, but fewer home runs with seven. With Bryant, first baseman Anthony Rizzo (9

HR, 29 RBI) and other up and coming players scattered throughout the lineup, Chicago may have the

best crop of young hitters in the game.

But back to L.A. If Pederson continues at this pace, he would hit 43 home runs, which would rank second

most all-time for rookies, though short of the record 49 set by Oakland’s Mark McGwire in 1987.

Still, Pederson stands a real chance at breaking another record that has stood for far longer without

being seriously challenged: In 1939, Ted Williams set the rookie record for walks with 107. No rookie has

walked at least 100 times in a season since 1953. Pederson, who had played in every game this season

entering Monday, was on pace for 109.