Los Angeles Dodgers vs Colorado Rockies June 30
Denver-- The Dodgers finally neutralize the high powered Colorado Rockies in a 10-5 victory to split the 4-game series.
Talk about a stressful series for pitchers.
I don't know how many times I have to mention this, but Coors Field is the definition of a "launchpad" ballpark.
In the common theme of the series, L.A. scored first in the third inning on Chi Chi Gonzalez. Kenta Maeda, the best hitting pitcher the Dodgers have, singled, and Joc Pederson soon followed with a single of his own to put runners at the corners. Matt Beaty barely beat out a potential double-play grounder to drive in a run and make it 1-0.
In the 5th, the Dodgers immediately put more pressure on the young Gonzalez behind a leadoff walk from Kike Hernandez, a Russell Martin single, and a Maeda sac bunt that scored Kike after a bad throw from the pitcher. Pederson lined an RBI single to score Martin which gave them a 3-0 lead.
The fifth inning for the Rockies had been dynamite during the 4-game series and it continued today.
Colorado started the fifth with back-to-back singles, but Maeda bounced back with a big strikeout. But Dave Roberts had seen enough and pulled Maeda for "lefty specialist" Zac Rosscup.
Maeda only pitched 4.1 innings, giving up three hits, striking out five, and two walks, subsequently giving up two earned runs. That's a victory in my book.
But the scrub he is, Rosscup gave up an infield single to Charlie Blackmon and then ultimately gave up a soaring two-run shot to David Dahl which gave the Rockies a 4-3 lead.
You can expect him to be released soon, which means he will get fired.
Rosscup was then replaced with Dylan Floro, who has been struggling mightily, but somehow produced a double play after back-to-back singles to get out of the inning unscathed.
The Dodgers gave the Rockies a taste of their own medicine with a huge rally of their own, with a six-spot in the sixth inning. The tides turned with seven batters consecutively reaching with one out. Edwin Rios, Kike Hernandez, and Russell Martin all singled to load the bases. Hit by a pitch master, Justin Turner got an RBI to tie the game and Joc singled to score two more. Matt Beaty hit a floating RBI double, and Chris Taylor drew another walk to put LA up 7-4.
Finally, the Rockies got the second out of the inning which came on a Cody Bellinger groundout that he ran out to avoid a double play which scored another. Max Muncy joined in on the fun with an RBI single to make it 9-4.
Julio Urias did an amazing job keeping the Rockies in check with a beautiful long relief outing. He gave up just a single and a walk in three shutout innings, striking out four batters.
Yimi Garcia gave up another bomb to Charlie Blackmon but got the other two outs for a Dodgers win.
Los Angeles sends Hyun-Jin Ryu, Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, and Cody Bellinger to the All-Star game. Ryu will start for the National League. Rye leads the league with a 1.83 ERA.
The Dodgers improve to 57-29 and salvage a split with the Rockies. They lead the National League West Division by 12 games over the Rockies.
The Arizona Diamondbacks travel to Chavez Ravine for a two-game series starting at 10:10 PM EST on Tuesday night.