Dodgers comeback against the struggling Rockies, start the season 11-2
Los Angeles, California-- It was a delightful night for your world champion Los Angeles Dodgers as they swept the lowly Colorado Rockies with an exciting 7-5 come-from-behind win.
A Dodgers win on Jackie Robinson day always makes it more pleasing.
Max Muncy’s two-out bomb in the seventh inning off reliever Yency Almonte (0-1) gave the defending World Series champions (Wow, that has a nice ring to it) a 6-5 lead on the way to their sixth straight victory and their major league-best record to 11-2.
I think it's safe to say the Dodgers are ready to play this season.
Raise your hand if any of you thought David Price would be a key bullpen piece?
Let alone, closing games in the ninth inning?
Price pitched out of trouble in the ninth, striking out two, as the Dodgers gave regular closer Kenley Jansen a breather after his awesome last few showings.
Essentially a starter during his 13-year career, the left-handed Price has moved into a relief role this season because of Los Angeles’ stellar pitching rotation. His only other save came as a rookie with Tampa Bay in Game 7 of the 2008 AL Championship Series against Boston.
“That was huge for myself, my confidence, my coaches’ confidence in me,” Price said. “I felt every time I went out there my stuff has gotten better. Tonight was the best I’ve commanded the baseball until this point in four appearances. My arm felt great. ... I commanded the baseball the way I’m used to doing it and got good results.”
Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts told Price before the game that he would get the most important three outs of the game if the Dodgers had the lead. Price said he couldn’t say specifically what his response was, but he was pumped, as you can imagine.
“That was the first time I’ve been able to pitch on this day,” Price said of Jackie Robinson Day. “It’s extremely special to me, especially wearing Dodgers blue. I wanted to finish the game and get that save. The first two hitters I didn’t end up the way I wanted to, but I continued to make pitches and things ended up the way I wanted to.”
He had the ball authenticated and will give it to his parents to put on display, which is a beautiful gesture in my opinion.
“On so many levels it was positive,” Roberts said. “There’s not a guy in the clubhouse that doesn’t respect David and was pulling for him. It was a special day for him. You don’t script many things in baseball, but you couldn’t have scripted that better for him. ... It was a nice feather in his cap.”
Colorado took an early 2-0 lead on solo homers by Ryan McMahon in the first and Hampson in the third off Dodgers left-hander Julio Urías.
Urías allowed five runs, four earned, and seven hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked two. His stat line would have looked a lot better if not for some odd calls by the home plate umpire.
Justin Turner connected in the bottom of the third to put Los Angeles ahead on a three-run homer off Rockies starter Austin Gomber. An infamous slow starter, the third baseman is batting .432 (19 for 44) with four homers, six doubles, and 14 RBIs. He homered for the second time in two days, with his drive a day earlier landing in a fan’s plate of nachos which was probably one of the most unusual things I've ever witnessed in a baseball game.
RHP Walker Buehler (1-0, 1.50) gets the start at San Diego in the first of 19 highly awaited games between the NL West "rivals" this season. His last start against the Padres was in Game 1 of the 2020 National League Division Series when he allowed one run and two hits over four innings. He struck out eight and walked four.