LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Dodgers starter Kenta Maeda will take the mound Saturday against a Colorado Rockies team that he has had success against over the past three years.

Colorado Rockies starter German Marquez will take the mound Saturday on the road http://www.cowboysauthorizedshops.com/authentic-leighton-vander-esch-jersey , where he has been excellent outside of the shadow of the Rocky Mountains.

Something has to give at Dodger Stadium in a nationally televised game, when Dodgers right-hander Maeda (5-4, 3.44 ERA) faces off against Rockies right-hander Marquez (5-8, 5.53).

The Rockies won the first game of the series 3-1 on Friday, and Maeda will try halt the Dodgers’ two-game losing streak.

Since returning from the disabled list after being sidelined by a hip strain, Maeda has posted a 2.87 ERA over three starts, including a scoreless seven-inning outing Monday against the Chicago Cubs when he struck out nine and picked up the win.

The nine strikeouts were reminiscent of his best stretch of the season before his injury, when he struck out 32 batters over 24 1/3 innings, including a season-best 12 strikeouts in 6 2/3 shutout innings against the Rockies on May 23.

“Ever since coming off the DL, feeling-wise, this is the best I have felt http://www.texansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jordan-akins-jersey ,” Maeda said through an interpreter, after holding the Cubs in check during a 2-1 Dodgers victory Monday. “Overall it was a much better feeling coming into this game than the other ones.”

Especially troublesome for the Rockies is that Maeda figures to be fresh for Saturday’s outing, having thrown just 84 pitches in his latest start. Then there is this: Maeda is 5-2 in eight career appearances (six starts) with a 2.11 ERA against the Rockies with 48 strikeouts.

Marquez has struggled lately, having gone 1-4 in June with an 8.53 ERA, but there is no doubting his road success this year. He has a 7.93 ERA at home, but that mark falls off dramatically to 3.07 in 41 innings on the road. In fact, the Rockies have won four of Marquez’s seven road starts this season.

Marquez is 1-0 with a 3.91 ERA in four career starts against the Dodgers.

His two outings against them this season have been a mixed bag. On May 21 in Los Angeles, Marquez gave up one run over seven innings in a 2-1 Rockies victory. On June 2 at Colorado, he gave up four runs over six innings, although he didn’t factor into the decision as the Dodgers rolled to a 12-4 victory.

In his four starts since then, Marquez has given up at least five runs in each time. He gave up a combined 10 runs (nine earned) in his last two starts http://www.chargersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-uchenna-nwosu-jersey , both of which came at home.

“I know I have been in the league two years and if I execute my pitches, it doesn’t matter how long they have known me,” Marquez told reporters, through an interpreter, after he gave up six runs (five earned) on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings in an eventual 8-5 loss to the Miami Marlins on Sunday. “It’s about me executing my pitches.

Marquez will face a Dodgers team that has 54 home runs in June, the most in franchise history for a single month.

HOUSTON — With shortstop Carlos Correa battling what was described as back stiffness, Astros manager A.J. Hinch opted to keep Correa out of the lineup Tuesday against Toronto.

Correa, batting .268 with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs, missed his eighth game of the season. Hinch is an advocate of resting his primary regulars and with Houston playing a day game Wednesday following their 7-0 victory Tuesday night, he opted to give Correa a break with the club also facing a grueling stretch of play over the coming weeks.

“We’re playing 23 out of 24 days. We’re in the midst of the grind of the season before the All-Star break and I’m always looking for a day off,” Hinch said. “We’ve talked about rest for the better part of the last couple of weeks. There’s another day coming probably for him and there’s probably another day off for George (Springer) http://www.jetsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-trenton-cannon-jersey , maybe even one for Jose (Altuve) before the break. All of that added up, it made for an easy (decision) not to play him.”

Left-hander Dallas Keuchel (4-8, 3.90 ERA) will start the series finale for the Astros (53-28).

Keuchel posted his second consecutive start without allowing an earned run on June 22 against the Kansas City Royals, surrendering six hits and two walks with six strikeouts over six innings. He is 3-0 with a 3.62 ERA over four career starts against the Blue Jays, last facing Toronto on May 15, 2015, and allowing four runs on eight hits and three walks over six innings in an 8-4 home victory.

Right-hander Marco Estrada (4-7, 4.48 ERA) will start the rubber match for Toronto (37-42). Estrada has pitched exceptionally this month, going 2-1 with a 1.75 ERA and 26 strikeouts over four starts and 25 2/3 innings while limiting opposing batters to a .510 OPS. He is 2-0 with a 2.96 ERA over 12 career appearances (six starts) against Houston.

Blue Jays All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson experienced a setback while rehabbing the left calf injury that landed him on the 10-day disabled list May 29. Donaldson was preparing to play in a rehab game in Florida and sustained an injury while taking ground balls. An MRI revealed an acute strain of the left calf, and Donaldson will be re-evaluated in three weeks.

Donaldson was trending toward a return to action, perhaps as soon as this weekend against the Detroit Tigers. He has suffered through a largely lost season http://www.raidersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-p.j.-hall-jersey , logging 36 games with five home runs and 16 RBIs. Donaldson missed his 25th consecutive game Tuesday and 43rd overall this season, with the Blue Jays dropping to 21-22 without him in their lineup.

Donaldson, a free agent following the season, could be a trade chip at the non-waiver deadline next month, but his injury situation leaves that immediate future murky at best.

“The previous week we thought there was a chance,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. “He was moving along fine and then something happened. What are you going to do?

“It’s been a frustrating year for him. He’s actually hanging in there OK considering. But he’s frustrated.”