Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers had their four-game winning streak snapped, as the Rockies avoided a sweep by walking off the Dodgers in a 5-4 win.
——
David Price started for the Dodgers, looking to continue to build his pitch count, and he did exactly that even if things started … rockily. He gave up a lead-off single that was eventually advanced to second on a ground out and then driven in with a two-out Charlie Blackmon single to make it 1-0. After a stolen base and an error by Justin Turner, he had to work out of trouble to limit the damage. From there, Price settled in, allowing just a walk over the next three innings and facing the minimum nine batters thanks to a double play.
Rockies starter Jon Gray faced a lot of trouble early, starting in the second when he gave up two singles and a walk but managed to have no damage thanks to a double play. He wasn’t so fortunate in the 3rd, giving up a lead-off single to Price of all people, then later giving up a two-out, two-run oppo homer to Turner to make it 2-1. An infield single and a passed ball, and then a walk was wiggled out of to end the 3rd, and he then avoided a minor threat in the 4th as well.
JT oppo power. pic.twitter.com/2Q7F2EMXHP
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 18, 2021
In relief of Price, Jake Reed entered in the 5th, and after a one-out single and a sacrifice bunt, he looked like he got out of the inning on a Chris Owings infield pop-up. However, Chris Taylor and Max Muncy seemed to fight the sun and get their wires crossed as CT3 dropped the ball to allow the tying run to score. After working out of the 5th, he also started the 6th with a strikeout before giving way. Alex Vesia took over and got a ground out and strikeout to end the frame.
After working out of trouble in previous innings, Gray rebounded to retire nine in a row, looking good in his potential audition for the Dodgers with seven strikeouts in seven innings.
In the 7th, Joe Kelly took over, giving up a single to start that advanced to second on a ground out, then uncorking a wild pitch. After a walk, he induced Ryan McMahon to hit a chopper to third that looked like a double play ball, but JT again couldn’t make the play and the go-ahead run scored to make it 3-2. Kelly did rebound to get the next two on strikeouts.
Fortunately, JT made up for it in the 8th against Carlos Estevez. With one down, he doubled down the line in left, setting the table for Will Smith to yank a pitch off the plate inside for a two-run dong to make it 4-3. Their closer Daniel Bard got a clean 9th to close the book on the Dodgers in regulation time.
GO AHEAD, WILL. pic.twitter.com/B3WqlH9ujl
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 18, 2021
Blake Treinen then took his usual spot in the setup role, getting a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout and two ground outs, with the most tension being Smith getting a foul tip to the tip.
Kenley Jansen took over in the 9th, returning to his house of horrors concerning his health. He immediately gave up a double to McMahon, which was advanced on a grounder, and cashed in by a Owings single to tie it at 4-4.
So we went to the dreaded extras, where Mychal Givens took over and immediately issued a walk to the opposing pitcher Cody Bellinger. He then rebounded with back-to-back strikeouts of Muncy and JT, but Smith jumped on the first pitch he saw to make it 5-4. He then stole second, but CT3 was unable to cash in further runs.
That left things up to Phil Bickford to try to lock down in the 10th. He immediately gave up two deep flies to tie the game at 5-5, then Blackmon walked it off with a homer to right.
Pain.
——
Gavin Lux got hurt, continuing the trend of Coors Field being the worst.
——
The Dodgers are now 58-36 and remain 1 game back in the NL West after the Giants fell to the Cardinals.
Speaking of the Giants, the Dodgers will now return home for a four-game set for the division lead, starting at 4:10 PM HST/7:10 PM PST/10:10 PM EST with Tony Gonsolin facing their ace Kevin Gausman.
