Velasquez (8-5) threw 5.2 innings in a loss to the Dodgers on Tuesday, allowing five runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out 10.
Velasquez cruised through four innings but ran into trouble in the fifth, allowing home runs to Howie Kendrick and Chase Utley. He then saw more trouble in the sixth as Yasmani Grandal took Velasquez deep for a two-run homer before he was removed. The start was an improvement on his last outing, but that's not saying much, as the young flamethrower was roughed up for nine runs his last time out. Velasquez has now allowed three home runs in consecutive starts, after allowing just three homers in all eight of June and July starts put together. Velasquez's ERA ballooned to 4.14, and he'll look to right the ship against the Cardinals on Sunday.