DENVER — The Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers begin a pivotal three-game series 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) Anibal Sanchez 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, 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 Eduardo Escobar Jersey , 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, 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.” WASHINGTON (AP) — First, Braves right-hander Mike Foltynewicz worked his way out of a precarious jam. A few innings later, Ronald Acuna Jr. lent a high-rising, helping hand at the center-field wall.Combining clutch pitching, long-ball hitting and Acuna’s deft skill in the outfield, the Braves beat the Washington Nationals 8-3 Wednesday night.Foltynewicz needed 35 pitches to get out of the first inning. He gave up a double, a single and a walk and another runner reached on a throwing error — yet the Nationals scored only one unearned run and left the bases loaded.“I knew if I could limit the damage to even two runs there our offense would get some runs back,” Foltynewicz said.After that, Charlie Culberson hit a three-run homer in the second inning off Tommy Milone (1-1) and Tyler Flowers and Acuna added two-run shots in the fourth.In the bottom of the fourth, Acuna made a sensational catch to rob Matt Adams of a home run. Acuna raced back to the center-field wall, leaped and snagged the ball with his outstretched glove before sprawling on the warning track. Foltynewicz waved his cap to show his appreciation for the play.“He’s a very skilled player,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Acuna. “He’s got a ways to go. He’s far from being a finished product, but he’s a very talented young man. He’s an exciting player because he’s got skills.”Atlanta has won eight of 10 to move within a half-game of first-place Philadelphia in the NL East. Washington fell six games back following its second consecutive loss to the Braves.Bryce Harper hit his 28th home run for the Nationals, who showed their frustration in the sixth inning when rookie Juan Soto and hitting coach Kevin Long were ejected by home plate umpire Greg Gibson. Soto started jawing at Gibson before stepping into the batter’s box, sharing his opinion on a third strike call on his previous at-bat.“I never think he’s gonna toss me out. I don’t say anything wrong http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-jake-odorizzi-jersey ,” Soto contended.So what did he say?“That the pitch before was a ball. Make sure he can understand and be better. Help him help us,” Soto said.Manager Dave Martinez said, “I didn’t think it was appropriate to throw him out in a situation like that, really. He could have said, ‘Hey that’s enough. Let’s get in the box,’ whatever.”That wasn’t the only thing that angered Martinez.“We left 10 guys on base,” he lamented. “We got 10 hits, but we couldn’t get that big hit.”It was 7-2 in the sixth before Harper hit a leadoff homer and Soto was ejected. Washington went on to load the bases with two outs before Luke Jackson replaced Foltynewicz and struck out Adam Eaton .Foltynewicz (9-7) allowed three runs, one earned, in 5 2/3 innings. He’s 3-2 in five starts against Washington this season.Culberson has homered in all three games in this series. He has eight home runs this season, five against the Nationals.TRAINER’S ROOMBraves: Placed on the DL on Tuesday with a left groin strain, LHP Max Fried doesn’t expect to be out for long. “It’s just a little sore,” he said Wednesday. “For the most part, I’m just trying to get it better to make sure it’s a non-issue going forward.”Nationals: RHP Kelvin Herrera was placed on the 10-day DL with a rotator cuff impingement, an injury he sustained Tuesday. If all goes well, he can start throwing by the end of next week. … Stephen Strasburg (cervical nerve impingement) and Erick Fedde (shoulder inflammation) threw in the bullpen. “They both threw well, said they felt good,” Martinez said. “The next step for both is to have another bullpen session and go from there.”WELCOME BACKWith Herrera out, Washington recalled Koda Glover from Triple-A Syracuse. As a rookie last season, Glover notched eight saves in 23 games before rotator cuff tendinitis ended his season in June.UP NEXTBraves: Anibel Sanchez (6-3, 2.89 ERA) pitches the series finale Thursday afternoon. He’s 10-1 with a 2.11 ERA lifetime against Washington.Nationals: Gio Gonzalez (6-8, 4.04 ERA) is 0-6 in his last 11 starts since May 28 and owns a 5-11 career record against the Braves.