LOS ANGELES — Walt Weiss isn’t about to get sucked into declaring the current six-game road trip as “critical,” but the Rockies manager admits it carries some extra weight.
“I’ve said it before … you can say any homestand or road trip is critical,” he said Friday before his team took on the Dodgers. “But anytime you go on a road trip and you’re playing in your division, there is added importance. So it’s an important road trip.”
Colorado, coming off a disappointing 3-4 homestand, will play three in Los Angeles followed by three more in San Francisco against the Giants, who are threatening to run away with the National League West. The Rockies entered Friday at 37-41, 11 games behind the Giants in the division and four games back in the wild card.
The Rockies caught a break when Dodgers ace and Cy Young Award contender Clayton Kershaw went on the disabled list with an injured lower back, missing his scheduled start Friday night. However, the Rockies will have to face shutdown artist Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto in San Francisco.
Healing up. Second baseman DJ LeMahieu (left knee contusion) is close to getting back in the starting lineup, while shortstop Trevor Story (bruised right middle finger) is still a day or two away. Both were available to come off the bench, if needed.
“I feel good to go,” said LeMahieu, who injured his knee Sunday against Arizona. “I ran around today and took some groundballs. I guess they just wanted me to have one more day.”
Story injured his finger, also on Sunday, when he was hit a by a pitch. The finger is taking a little longer to heal than he thought it would. He started Tuesday night’s game against Toronto, but was out of the starting lineup Wednesday. Thursday’s off day helped a little, but his finger is still not 100 percent.
“Every day I get to rest the finger it feels a little better, ” he said. “Maybe last time I came back a little soon. So I want to make sure I don’t do that again.”
Story swung the bat Friday, and he’s still wary of the pain that comes when he doesn’t connect solidly with a pitch.
“But this isn’t going to be a DL situation,” he said. “It’s just going to take a couple more days.”
Footnotes. Center fielder Charlie Blackmon turned 30 years old. … After a slow start to the season, Carlos Gonzalez heated up in June, batting .364, which was tied for fourth in the National League. His eight home runs were tied for sixth, while his 29 RBIs were
second.
Looking Ahead
Rockies RHP Chad Bettis (6-5, 5.84 ERA) at Dodgers LHP Scott Kazmir (6-3, 4.67), 8:10 p.m., ROOT, 850 AM
Perhaps the thick Pacific air at Chavez Ravine will help get Bettis back on track, because the Rockies need him to start pitching like he did through May 1, when he was 3-1 with a 3.89 ERA over six starts. Bettis’ last outing at Coors Field was disappointing, especially considering he was coming off two quality starts. Arizona raked him for seven runs on 12 hits and three walks across five innings. Kazmir hasn’t been tagged with a loss since May 9, but the injured Dodgers need something more from the veteran. Though his ERA is high, he appears to have plenty left in the tank, based on his 9.24 strikeout rate per nine innings. The Rockies have limited experience against the left-hander, although Carlos Gonzalez has struggled, going 0-for-8 with three strikeouts, Nolan Arenado, however, is 2-for-2 with a homer against Kazmir.
Sunday: Rockies RHP Jon Gray (5-3, 4.83) at Dodgers LHP Julio Urias (1-2, 4.09), 2:10 p.m., ROOT
Monday: Rockies LHP Tyler Anderson (0-2, 2.66) at Giants RHP Jake Peavy (4-7, 5.33), 2:05 p.m., ESPN
Tuesday: Rockies RHP Tyler Chatwood (8-4, 3.15) at Giants LHP Madson Bumgarner (9-4, 2.20), 8:15 p.m., ROOT
