SoCal MLB Preview

LA Dodgers (15-13) at Colorado (11-17), 6:05 pm

DENVER (Ticker) - Brad Penny looks to continue his dominance of the Colorado Rockies and lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a seventh straight win on Friday in the opener of a three-game series. Los Angeles finished off a three-game sweep of the Florida Marlins on Thursday with a 5-3 victory, as Matt Kemp drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the ninth inning. The Dodgers have won six straight for the first time since the end of the 2006 season. With Penny (4-2, 2.89 ERA) on the mound, that streak seems to be in good hands. The hard-throwing righthander is 13-2 with a 2.97 ERA in 22 starts vs. the Rockies, and 8-0 in his last 12 starts against them. Penny held the Rockies to three runs and four hits in seven innings of an 11-3 victory on Saturday. The two-time All-Star is 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his last three starts, and is looking for his career best fourth straight win. Penny will face a Rockies' lineup that will be without shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who is out until the All-Star break with a torn quadriceps. Colorado, which has lost three of four, will send its ace Jeff Francis (0-2, 5.01) to the hill. The lefthander has lasted seven innings in each of his last three starts, allowing just six runs in that span.

Baltimore (15-13) at LA Angels (18-11), 7:05 pm

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) - The Baltimore Orioles are off to a strong start this season despite a dismal offense. The Orioles try to improve their scoring output when they open a 10-game road trip with a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, beginning Friday. Baltimore managed just three runs over its final two games against the Tampa Bay Rays - both losses - and is 24th in the majors with a .247 batting average. The Orioles also rank 22nd in the league with just 121 runs scored while leftfielder Luke Scott is the team's top hitter, batting .284 this season. The lack of run support has prevented staff ace Jeremy Guthrie from recording a win through his first six starts of 2008. Guthrie (0-3, 4.34 ERA), who takes the mound for the Orioles on Friday, has allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his last five outings but hasn't earned a win since July 27 of last season - a span of 15 starts. Jered Weaver (2-3, 4.21) counters for the Angels after surrendering only two runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings en route to a 6-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday.