MLB Betting: Rockies and Dodgers open set

It’s been a tough season for Joe Torre and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Colorado Rockies need to start a winning streak soon if they have any hope of making the postseason. The Rockies begin a three-game series at their NL West rival Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

Colorado (61-56) has played 13 games in August and has alternated between wins and losses. It beat Milwaukee 6-5 on Sunday night and is due for a loss on Tuesday if the trend continues.

The Rockies are 8 ½-games back in the division and five in the NL wild card standings. Their record is far different home (38-20) and away (23-36). The bats are the biggest culprit, averaging two runs more in Colorado (5.78) than on the road (3.78).

Colorado is trying to catch lightning in a bottle like in 2007 (14-1 to end the season), but there are no signs of it yet.

The Dodgers (60-58) have their playoff hopes on life support. They’re 3-13 on the road in the second half (8-6 at home). They’ve scored three runs in their last three games in Atlanta, winning one. The series will conclude Monday night with the Dodgers having a long flight back before facing Colorado.

The L.A. offense is playing without three regulars in catcher Russell Martin (hip), shortstop Rafael Furcal (back) and outfielder Manny Ramirez (calf). All three are out for this series, with Martin done for the year.

Clayton Kershaw (10-7, 3.17 ERA) is the ace of a Dodgers starting staff that has pitched well lately. He allowed two runs over 6 2/3 innings at Philadelphia last Thursday. However, Jonathan Broxton blew another save opportunity and has been stripped of his closer role.

The Dodgers are just 1-5 in Kershaw’s last six starts. He struggled his last home outing against Washington (six earned over six innings), but had eight-straight quality home starts before that.

The 22-year-old lefty is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA against Colorado this year. The home outing was eight scoreless innings (two hits) on May 9. The ‘under’ is 5-0 in his last five starts against Colorado.

Jhoulys Chacin (5-8, 4.04 ERA) is being called up to make this start on Tuesday. Jeff Francis (shoulder) has been put on the DL.

The 22-year-old righty Chacin made 12 starts earlier this year. Colorado won the first two, but then went 3-7 even though he pitched pretty well. He has an impressive 9.73 strikeout rate and is a key part of the team’s future.

Chacin made two starts this year against the Dodgers (1-1, 2.84 ERA). He was brilliant in the one start in Los Angeles, no earned runs and six hits over 7 1/3 innings in an 8-0 win. That was back on May 8.

Colorado doesn’t have any position players on the DL, but starter Aaron Cook (toe) is also sidelined in addition to Francis.

These teams have faced off six times this year with 12 remaining games. The Dodgers went 2-1 in both the home and away series in May. The MLB betting ‘under’ is 4-2 this year and 11-3-1 in the last 15 meetings overall.

Los Angeles has won the last four home series against Colorado, last dropping one in August 2008.

First pitch on Tuesday night is 7:10 p.m. (PT). Weather should be beautiful in the upper 60s.