Friday with the Rockies looking to widen their lead in the National League West.The Rockies began their current 10-game homestand with a series sweep against the San Francisco Giants and have won five straight games. That surge has carried them from 1 1/2 games behind in the division to leading it by that same 1 1/2-game margin over the Dodgers.The Rockies (77-62) Josh Donaldson Jersey , who are in their 26th season, have never won the division and are assured of leading the NL West Friday after playing their 140th game, which is the latest in franchise history that they have been in first place. In the 144-game strike-shortened 1995 season, the Rockies were in first place after 139 games.Article continues below ...Jon Gray (11-7, 4.70 ERA) will start for the Rockies and ace left-hander Clayton Kershaw (6-5, 2.40) will take the mound for the Dodgers (76-64), who are beginning a 10-game trip that will also take them to Cincinnati (three games) and St. Louis (four).The Dodgers just dropped two of three games to the New York Mets to close out a 4-3 homestand and have scored more than three runs in just one of their past eight games.If save situations arise for the Dodgers this weekend, they can’t call on closer Kenley Jansen. He did not accompany the team to Denver after suffering an irregular heartbeat there last month. Jansen was advised by a cardiologist to avoid Denver, where the mile-high altitude increases the risk of another atrial fibrillation episode. After suffering a similar episode in 2012 and undergoing an offseason ablation operation to repair it, Jansen has said he likely will need another operation this winter and told reporters the decision to miss this series was an easy one.“At the end of the day, I have three children, and I want to see them get old and graduate and all that stuff,” Jansen said. “That’s what doctors do for a living; they take care of you. That’s what I got to do. I got to care about my health.”Kershaw gave up four hits and two runs in seven innings Saturday in a no-decision against Arizona http://www.bluejaysfanproshop.com/authentic-curtis-granderson-jersey , a game the Dodgers won 3-2. He has allowed two or fewer earned runs in eight straight starts, going 3-1 with a 1.94 ERA in that stretch and allowing three walks and 43 hits, including five homers, in 55 2/3 innings with 49 strikeouts.Kershaw hasn’t faced the Rockies this season. He is 21-7 with a 3.22 ERA against them in career 38 starts, winning more games against the Rockies than any team other than the Giants (22 wins). At Coors Field, Kershaw is 9-4 with a 4.65 ERA in 20 starts.Gray won Saturday at San Diego, where he allowed two runs in six innings in Colorado’s 4-2 victory. In nine starts since returning from Triple-A Albuquerque, eight of which the Rockies have won, Gray is 4-0, 3.08.The Rockies have gotten sizable production recently from shortstop Trevor Story and are hoping third baseman Nolan Arenado can end his slump in this series. Story, who hit three homers Wednesday against the Giants, including a 505-foot shot that is the longest in Rockies history and the longest in the Statcast era that began in 2015, is hitting .298 with a .920 OPS and 31 homers J.A. Happ Jersey , 95 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. He’s 12-for-24 in his past six games with five homers and 10 RBIs.Arenado is hitting .297 with 31 homers, 93 RBIs and a .929 OPS. But he has hit two homers since Aug. 5, and in his past nine games, Arenado is 4-for-35 (.114) with one double and three RBIs.“Nolan cares as much as anybody I’ve been around about this organization and winning for this organization,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Right now, he’s just a little uncomfortable at the plate and that can turn quickly. But you combine that with maybe trying a little bit too hard and maybe putting too much pressure on himself because of the expectation of (being) Nolan Arenado. That sort of works against you.” JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Jose Martinez’s teammates with the St. Louis Cardinals applauded his new contract Saturday, and the deal gave his family reason to cheer, too.The outfielder/first baseman signed a $3.25 million, two-year contract to remain with the Cardinals, who essentially bought out his first year of arbitration after this season.Martinez said he would send some of the money to relatives in his native Venezuela, which has been plagued by food and medical shortages and a political crisis.“It’s not even for me, just for my family Kendrys Morales Jersey ,” Martinez said. “It’s a tough situation there. You have a little incentive for sure.”The deal was announced before the Cardinals’ spring training opener against the Miami Marlins. Manager Mike Shildt said the popular Martinez received “two hearty rounds of applause” from teammates when they were told the news.“It was really an honor to be able to say that in the clubhouse,” Shildt said. “He’s an important part of what we’re doing.”The Cardinals also announced that right-hander Miles Mikolas will start opening day at Milwaukee on March 28. Mikolas returned to the major leagues last year after three seasons in Japan, became a first-time All-Star and went 18-4.“A year ago, saying Miles would be our opening day starter this year would have been a shock to everyone,” general manager Mike Girsch said. “He pitched amazing last year.”Mikolas will join a list of Cardinals opening day starters that includes Hall of Famers Bob Gibson, Dizzy Dean, Jesse Haines and Grover Cleveland Alexander.“It’s a huge, huge honor,” Mikolas said. “I’m very humbled by that.”Following the announcement, Mikolas pitched two perfect innings against Miami.“I might have missed a little bit in and out, but the ball was down, which was good,” he said. “As long as the fastball is down Jesse Barfield Jersey , good things are going to happen.”Martinez, 30, led the Cardinals with a .305 average last year and had 17 homers and 83 RBIs. He played 887 games in the minors before reaching the big leagues, and has since hit .309 over parts of three seasons.“He has had a unique career path and has been a huge part of our team the last couple of years,” Girsch said. “We felt the right thing to do was to give him some certainty.”Martinez said he was surprised by the contract offer, which included incentives.“If you are a good teammate, good things will happen to you,” Martinez said. “I’m just trying to get to that promised land — trying to win the World Series.”He’ll compete with Dexter Fowler and Tyler O’Neill this spring for the right field job. He could also back up Marcell Ozuna in left.“Jose is going to get at-bats somewhere,” Girsch said. “We just don’t know how it’s going to work out. And I’m sure he’ll continue to hit.”