Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers were in danger of losing back-to-back series for the first time since April and also losing three straight to the Rockies after rolling off 12 in a row prior.
Well, thanks to an explosive six-run 6th inning, we don’t have to think about that as the Dodgers cruised to a series split against the Rockies after a 10-5 victory.
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The Dodgers got on the board first in the 2nd inning against Chi Chi Gonzalez. Back-to-back singles from Kenta Maeda and Joc Pederson put runners at the corners, and Matt Beaty beat out a potential double-play grounder to drive in a run and make it 1-0.
In the 3rd, the Dodgers added a couple more behind an Enrique Hernandez walk, a Russell Martin single, and a Maeda sac bunt that scored Enrique thanks to the throw hitting him on the ass. Joc then got a single of his own to plate another run, which knocked Gonzalez out of the game and made it 3-0.
Meanwhile, Kenta ran into some trouble but got through four shutout innings at Coors Field, which is feat enough. After back-to-back singles to start the 5th, he rebounded by getting a big strikeout, but with Charlie Blackmon and David Dahl looming, Dave Roberts opted to go with LOOGY Zac Rosscup despite Maeda being at just 88 pitches.
Kenta ended up going 4.1 innings, surrendering only three hits and two walks, striking out five and … allowing two runs.
Of course, Maeda wasn’t the one who gave up the runs, as Rosscup entered and gave up an infield single to Blackmon to plate a run and then a towering three-run Coors Field homer to Dahl to give the Rockies a 4-3 lead.
Rosscup was then replaced with Dylan Floro, who gave up back-to-back singles to put runners at the corners with still only an out, but thankfully induced a comebacker for a double play to avoid further disaster.
The turning point in the game came immediately after, as the Dodgers put together a massive rally in the 6th. Seven batters in a row reached with one out, as Edwin Rios, Enrique, and Martin all singled to load the bases, Justin Turner got hit by a pitch to force in a run, Joc singled to right to plate two more, Beaty doubled to left-center to score another, and Chris Taylor drew a walk to load the bases again. That string put the Dodgers up 7-4.
The second out of the inning came on a Cody Bellinger ground out that he ran out to avoid a double play and plate another, and that was immediately followed with a Max Muncy single to make it 9-4 before the inning ended.
In the 8th, the Dodgers added insurance, scoring another run behind a CT3 double and a Cody single to make it 10-4.
Of course, as you may have noticed, no updates on the Rockies scoring. That was thanks to Julio Urias continuing to excel in this long relief/caddy role. He went three shutout innings, allowing just a single and a walk, striking out four batters.
More than the numbers, Urias just looks the part of an elite back-end reliever, which isn’t much of a surprise since he’s a potential front-end starter.
Yimi Garcia then entered to close the game out and got the first two batters, allowed a dinger to Blackmon, and got the final out to secure the win.
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The Dodgers improve to 57-29, which is still a 107-win pace. They’re missing three or four key players and it’s basically a footnote. Like they’re good, chill. They now lead the NL West by 12 games over the Rockies, the NL by 6 games over the Braves, and the MLB by 1 game over the Yankees.
After a day off tomorrow, the Dodgers travel home to play a two-game series against the Diamondbacks starting at 4:10 PM HST/7:10 PM PST/10:10 PM EST. Ross Stripling will head to the bump against Taylor Clarke.
