MLB Free Picks at YouWager: Rockies at Dodgers All Sports Room

Jul 26 2011

MLB Free Picks at YouWager: Rockies at Dodgers

Posted by Jasper Irvine in Betting Sport Tips

National League West foes Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers open a three-game series tonight at Dodger Stadium. As online sports wagering fans know, neither team is doing a great job heading into this weeks series. Colorado dropped their weekend series at Arizona, including losing the last two games by a combined score of 19-3. It was their sixth setback in nine games. In contrst, the Dodgers are just 3-5 in their past eight games, but did manage to take two of three from Washington at home.

The Rockies are just 22-28 on the road, while L.A. is 25-28 at home. However the Dodgers, who will likely be favored in all three games, are 28-26 as a favorite this season, while the Rockies are a dismal 8-20 as an underdog. With Los Angeles having a huge edge in head-to-head meetings with the Rockies in the past three seasons (29-16, +16.9 Units), including 14-7 at Dodger Stadium, the MLB free pick here is for LOS ANGELES to win the series.

Tonight will be Juan Nicasios (4-2, 3.88 ERA, 58.9 IP) chance for a third straight quality start. He has allowed just one run on nine hits in his past two starts (14 innings). The righty threw seven innings and surrendered just one run, but got a no-decision in Colorados 3-2 win over Atlanta on July 20. Nicasio has faced the Dodgers once, pitching five innings and giving up four runs in a 9-7 Rockies win on June 9 at Coors Field. Nicasio is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in four road starts this season.

Rubby De La Rosa (3-4, 3.73 ERA, 50.2 IP) will attempt to snap a four-game losing streak. The righty has gotten a no-decision in each of his past two outings. He allowed three runs (two earned) and nine hits in five innings in a 5-3 L.A. loss to San Francisco on July 19. But he has pitched at least five innings in five straight starts and has surrendered three earned runs or less in four of those contests. The 22 year-old is 1-0 versus the Rockies this season after allowing three earned runs in five innings on June 12, a 10-8 Dodgers victory. He also pitched two innings in relief against Colorado on May 31, and gave up one hit and no earned runs. However, hes only 1-3 with a 4.55 ERA in four home starts (six appearances) this season.

Jhoulys Chacin (8-7, 3.60 ERA, 127.2 IP) is coming off consecutive no-decisions, and has lost three straight prior to those outings. The 23 year-old allowed five earned runs (in 4.2 IP) for the second straight game in a 9-6 Rockies loss to Atlanta on July 21. He owns a 6.43 ERA over his past five outings (28 innings). But the right-handers had two outstanding starts versus the Dodgers this season. In a 6-5 win on June 10, he pitched eight innings and gave up three hits and no earned runs with nine strikeouts. In a 3-0 win over L.A. on April 5, he threw seven shutout innings and allowed only five hits. Chacin is 5-3 with a stellar 2.04 ERA in eight career starts (nine appearances) against the Dodgers.

Clayton Kershaw (11-4, 2.72 ERA, 145.2 IP) is aiming for his fourth straight win on Tuesday. The lefty is 5-1 in his past six starts and has gone at least six innings in each of those games. The 23 year-old has not given up a run in his past three outings (23 innings) and owns a 29-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio during that span. Kershaw has faced the Rockies twice in 2011, and owns a no-decision and a loss against them with both starts coming at Coors Field. On June 9, he allowed six runs in six innings, and previously on April 5, he gave up three runs in six innings in a 3-0 loss. Kershaw is 5-4 with a 4.07 ERA in 15 career starts against the Rockies, but has been outstanding at home this season (7-1 with a 1.88 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in 11 starts).

After an 0-5 start to his MLB season, Aaron Cook (1-5, 5.84 ERA, 44.2 IP) picked up his first win in eight starts on July 22 versus Arizona, 8-4. In six innings, the righty gave up four runs and eight hits. Cook is 6-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 17 career starts (22 appearances) against the Dodgers, and is just 1-2 with a 7.66 ERA in four road starts this season.

Hiroki Kuroda (6-12, 3.19 ERA, 127 IP) has done a great job lately despite his win-loss mark this season. The right-hander will be looking to end a three-game losing skid in the finale of the series on Wednesday. He has surrendered three runs or less in 15 of his 20 starts, including his most recent outing, a 7-2 loss to Washington on July 22, in which he gave up seven hits and three runs in 6.1 innings. However, his career numbers against the Rockies havent been nice. In eight starts against the Rockies, hes 0-4 with a 6.36 ERA.

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