It's not often that a team collects 14 hits and manages only one run, but that's what the Colorado Rockies did on Memorial Day in their 7-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was, obviously, not the way the team wanted to start their nine-game road trip.
They will try to put things in order on Tuesday evening with Clayton Mortensen on the mound. He is likely pitching to keep his spot in the rotation as Juan Nicasio is making a case to stay in the majors. With Aaron Cook making one more rehab start before being activated, either Mortensen or Nicasio will be sent back to the minors.
Mortensen is 1-2 in four starts with a 4.01 ERA and has picked up those losses in his last two starts. But he gets ground balls 57.6 percent of the time and strands nearly 78 percent of runners. A 4.58 FIP says he isn't doing quite that well with outcomes that he is solely responsible for (four home runs, eight walks in last three starts, though 14 strikeouts), but a .196 BABIP shows he's been extremely lucky on balls in play.
The Dodgers will have Ted Lilly pitch. Lilly signed a three-year, $33 million contract during the offseason, but he hasn't had the greatest of seasons so far. However, he has put together back-to-back quality starts. While not picking up the win in either one, Lilly allowed three runs in seven innings to the Chicago White Sox and one run in six innings to the Houston Astros. He averages 5.93 strikeouts per nine innings, well below his career average of 7.65. His fastball now sits just around 86.5 mph.
First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. MT.
For more on the Rockies, Purple Row is your destination. For the Dodgers, visit True Blue LA and SB Nation Los Angeles.