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Game Preview: Dodgers at Rockies

Good morning. Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world, and you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. Mankind, that word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences any more. We will be united in our common interest. Perhaps it's fate that today is the 4th of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom. Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution, but from annihilation. We're fighting for our right to live, to exist, and should we win the day, the 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day when the world declared in one voice, 'We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on, we're going to survive.' Today we celebrate our independence day!

By RockiesFan000
Freedom. Liberty. Truth. Justice.
Freedom. Liberty. Truth. Justice.
Justin Edmonds

With the Rockies searching desperately for a solution, Jhoulys Chacin takes the hill this Independence Day against the Los Angeles Puigers. The, ahem, Dodgers, have scored 18 runs in the first two games of the series, muffling the Coors Field crowds and handily winning the contests. Chacin will be looking to slow down the resurgent Dodgers.

He'll have his work cut out for him, as Yasiel Puig, Adrian Gonzalez, and Hanley Ramirez are all white hot and scalding baseballs all over the yard. Matt Kemp, an MVP candidate just two years ago, hasn't even gotten going yet. This is the threatening lineup the free-spending Dodgers expected to be playing at the beginning of the year, and frankly, it's terrifying.

Taking the bump for the Dodgers is Chris Capuano, a much more palatable option than previous starters Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. Capuano owns a career 4.29 ERA, and this year he sits at 4.72. He's a soft tossing lefty who gives up his fair share of home runs; if the Rockies are going to snag a W in this series, this would seem to be an advantageous match up.

Chacin has been great so far this season (3.59 ERA, 2.4 fWAR, 3.5 rWAR), and he's especially hot now, having not allowed a run in his last two starts. He hasn't been striking many people out, but a high ground ball rate and microscopic home run rate have combined to frustrate hitters and let him pitch deep into games.

The Rockies could certainly use a shut-down performance from Chacin and an offensive outburst. As they stagger along without Troy Tulowitzki and Dexter Fowler, every win is precious, and they can't afford to let match-ups like these get away from them.

Rockies

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>7/4 <a href="https://twitter.com/Rockies">@Rockies</a> lineup vs <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers">@Dodgers</a> &#10;LeMahieu 2B &#10;Rutledge SS &#10;CarGo LF &#10;Cuddyer RF &#10;Rosario C &#10;Helton 1B &#10;Arenado 3B &#10;Colvin CF &#10;Chacin P</p>&mdash; MLBLineups (@mlblineups) <a href="https://twitter.com/mlblineups/statuses/352887402441879554">July 4, 2013</a></blockquote>

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Dodgers

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>7/4 <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers">@Dodgers</a> lineup vs <a href="https://twitter.com/Rockies">@Rockies</a>&#10;M. Ellis 2B&#10;Puig RF&#10;Gonzalez 1B&#10;Ramirez SS&#10;Ethier LF&#10;Kemp CF&#10;Federowicz C&#10;Punto 3B&#10;Capuano P</p>&mdash; MLBLineups (@mlblineups) <a href="https://twitter.com/mlblineups/statuses/352910173305716736">July 4, 2013</a></blockquote>

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