Colorado @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( May 10, 2015 ) LA Dodgers 9, Colorado 5

Los Angeles and Colorado are coming off losses as they begin a four-game series at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, but that's where the similarities end. The Rockies' losing streak reached 11 games - their longest since 2000 - after a 2-1 setback in 11 innings to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday while the Dodgers, who lead the National League West by five games, had their five-game win streak halted by Miami 5-4.

Colorado's troubles extend off the field as manager Walt Weiss missed Wednesday's contest to undergo an emergency appendectomy and Troy Tulowitzki was to meet with his agent Thursday morning with the No. 1 topic expected to be setting the wheels in motion for a trade. Between the lines, the last-place Rockies are hitting .246 during the slide while posting a 7.84 ERA and an opponents' batting average of .325. Los Angeles is 25-5 in its last 30 regular-season games at Dodger Stadium - 15-3 this season - and won the last six meetings at home against the Rockies in 2014. Los Angeles' Brett Anderson tries to defeat his former team for a second straight start and opposes Chad Bettis, who will be recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to make his 2015 debut with Colorado.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Chad Bettis (NR) vs. Dodgers LH Brett Anderson (2-1, 3.52 ERA)

Bettis was 2-2 with a 3.97 ERA in six starts for Albuquerque as he prepares to make his ninth major-league start. "Definitely," the 26-year-old Texan told reporters, when asked if he prefers to start. "I feel like starting suits me best, from the routine standpoint, and being able to set up hitters down the line in the game." Bettis is 1-5 with a 6.88 ERA in 37 games with Colorado - 0-0, 5.19 in four appearances (one start) against Los Angeles.

Anderson was credited with a complete game after allowing an unearned run in five innings of a 2-1 rain-shortened victory at Colorado on Friday. ''You can't really think about that because then you're hesitant and you're just going to end up hurting yourself more so than without that mindset,'' the 27-year-old Texan told reporters about pitching in the rain. ''I just got to go out there and try and get people out and do my best. And fortunately in weird circumstances, I was able to pitch pretty good and get us a win.'' Anderson was 1-3 with a 2.91 ERA in eight starts in his only season with the Rockies in 2014, which was cut short by back and finger injuries.

WALK-OFFS

1. Bench coach Tom Runnels on Wednesday managed the Rockies, who were swept by the Dodgers in a rain-abbreviated two-game set at Coors Field last weekend.

2. Los Angeles (22-11) owns the best run differential in baseball at plus-62.

3. Colorado C Nick Hundley on Wednesday went 0-for-4, ending his career-best 13-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 6, Rockies 2