Dodgers 5, Rockies 4: Albert Pujols comes through in extras

After a day off the Dodgers had to play the Rockies at Coors Field, which seems like no big deal on paper, but it seemed like the perfect spoiler series to me.

For the most part the Rockies did that, sending the game into extras, but the devil magic of Albert Pujols prevailed in the end as the Dodgers won 5-4.

Catching up and I saw there was enough time for an inning in extras and assumed they fucked it up.

— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 22, 2021

Julio Urias started strong, twirling three no-hit innings to start. That ended with a single to start the 4th, and later back-to-back doubles led to the game’s first two runs. He also had to work around a lead-off double in the 5th, but unfortunately things weren’t done there.

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Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela was on his game early. Things looked bleak up to the 5th and even in the 5th, as Senzatela got the inning’s first two outs. However, Gavin Lux started the rally with an oppo single against the shift, Luke Raley came through with a single of his own, and then Urias himself drove in the game’s first run for the Dodgers with another single.

Mookie Betts then stepped up to the plate and made it four hits in a row with a high chopping infield single to third to tie it at 2-2.

#PitchersWhoRake pic.twitter.com/gpSeSJ9rfG

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 22, 2021

The Dodgers thankfully didn’t stop in the 6th with Trea Turner leading things off with a single and Max Muncy following by smashing a ball off the wall in left-center to plate Trea. After Max advanced to third on a fly out, Will Smith cashed him in with a sacrifice fly to deep right to make it 4-2.

Max with the knock, Trea with the slide. #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/vMKNSTwuaY

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) September 22, 2021

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Of course, a lead like that isn’t safe at all at Coors Field, and things quickly changed in the 6th. A lead-off single was cashed in by back-to-back two-out doubles off Urias to tie the game at 4-4.

Joe Kelly was Joe Kelly and not Joseph Kelly in the 7th, giving up a lead-off walk and then a single. He did get the next two outs, but then issued another walk to load the bases. That led to Blake Treinen entering and he won a nine-pitch battle for a strikeout to end threat. He continued on in the 8th and got a pain-free frame.

Meanwhile, the Rockies pen did well with Robert Stephenson, Tyler Kinley, and Carlos Estevez getting scoreless innings to end offense for the Dodgers in regulation.

The 9th belonged to Kenley Jansen and he worked around self-made trouble with a walk and a wild pitch to start. He retired the next two batters but then issued a walk before sending things into extras.

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Jhoulys Chacin got one out to start but then Pujols did his RBI thing with a single up the middle to make it 5-4.

TÍO ALBERT. CLUTCH. pic.twitter.com/OYs6z4xsXh

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 22, 2021

Brusdar Graterol got the save chance in extras, getting a strikeout and a ground out that advanced the runner to third. A walk cornered the guys on the bases, and led to his departure from the game. Alex Vesia was tasked with getting the last out and he did that with a fly out to center.

Shut it down.

First career save in the books for @Alex_Vesia! pic.twitter.com/ab0JZd22xE

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 22, 2021

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97-54.

Tomorrow will be Walker Buehler against German Marquez.