LA vs COL Pre-Game: Harang to Try Ending Streak

After facing a slew of quality starters in the past week, the Colorado Rockies’ staff will provide a bit of relief to the Dodgers. After facing Josh Outman on Friday night (9.64 ERA), the Rockies send Juan Nicasio to the mound Saturday night.

Nicasio enters the game with a record of 2-2 and an ERA of 5.11, having given up 10 earned runs in his past two starts. The Rockies were 1-4 in games Nicasio started in the month of May.

For the Dodgers, Aaron Harang will get the start after a very impressive May in which he was 2-1 with an ERA of 2.67.

This is the third time that Nicasio and Harang will face off this season.

Los Angeles Dodgers (32-20) at Colorado Rockies (22-29)
1:10 PM PST, June 2, 2012
Coors Field, Denver, Colorado
TV: Prime Ticket
Radio: 570 AM (English), 1020 AM (Spanish)
Game-Time Weather: 87 degrees, Partly Sunny

Rockies Projected Starters:
P: Juan Nicasio
C: Wilin Rosario
1B: Todd Helton
2B: Marco Scutaro
SS: D.J. LeMahieu
3B: Chris Nelson
LF: Carlos Gonzalez
CF: Dexter Fowler
RF: Michael Cuddyer

Key Bench Players: OF Eric Young, Jr., OF Tyler Colvin

For more information on the Rockies, check out our pre-series report. 

Dodgers Last 10: (3-7): L @ COL, L vs MIL, L vs MIL, L vs MIL, L vs MIL, W vs HOU, W vs HOU, L vs HOU, L @ ARI, W @ ARI.
Rockies Last 10: (7-3): W vs LA, W vs HOU, W vs HOU, W vs HOU, W vs HOU, L @ CIN, L @ CIN, W @ CIN, W @ MIA, L @ MIA.

Fun Facts:

• Andre Ethier has killed Nicasio, going 6/10 in his career with one home run.
• The streaking Carlos Gonzalez has one home run against Harang in his 14 career plate appearances against him.
• In two starts against the Rockies this season, Harang has been two completely different pitchers. In his first outing on April 30, he lasted just 5 2/3 innings and gave up five earned runs. Just two starts later, however, Harang pitched eight innings and allowed just one earned run in a 2-1 win over the Rockies.
• In that 2-1 victory, Nicasio was actually the opposing pitcher, lasting seven innings and allowing just one earned run.

Keys to a Dodger Victory:

– Get your swag back

During the height of the Dodgers’ miraculous May, the Dodgers hit with such confidence that it inspired everyone on the bench. In recent games, however, it’s almost like players have been expecting to fail, expecting to fall back to earth.

For the Dodgers to regain their form, they’ll need to hit with confidence and play with the energy that made them the best team in baseball.

-Take advantage of the matchup

While the Dodgers will face a number of quality teams this season, it’s games against weaker divisional foes like the Rockies that will ultimately be the difference. While they have been unable to figure Nicasio out in their previous two games against the right-hander this season, any time you face a pitcher with an ERA of over five, you need to score runs.

Best-Case Prediction: Dodgers 6, Rockies 3
Worst-Case: Rockies 7, Dodgers 3