May 13, 2017

Alex Wood threw 6 innings of shutout baseball at Coors Field on Saturday night, as the Dodgers shutdown the Rockies 4-0 and moved closer to 1st place.

Wood (4-0) gave up just 5 hits, struck out 10 batters, and walked 1 while throwing 88 pitches.

“You have enough bad ones here, eventually you’re able to have a good one,” said Wood, who also had a squeeze bunt that scored Austin Barnes to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning.

Earlier in the inning, Barnes delievered an RBI double that scored Kike Hernandez.  

LA got some additional offense from Brett Eibner, who hit his 1st homer of the season in the 5th inning, and Justin Turner, who had an RBI double in the 7th.

Tyler Anderson (2-4) took the loss for Colorado after allowing 3 runs in a little more than 5 innings of work.

Josh Fields, Pedro Baez, and Kenley Jansen combined for 3 scoreless innings of relief after Wood departed.

Skipper Dave Roberts took no chances and made sure Jansen finished the game. “By the book, it was a non-save situation but here in Denver, it’s almost like four runs is a save,” Roberts said. 

The Dodgers will try to take over 1st place with a victory Sunday against Colorado.  Julio Urias (0-0; 1.06 ERA) goes for LA, while the Rockies counter with Antonio Senzatela (5-1: 2.86 ERA).

May 12, 2017

The Dodgers needed a win and Clayton Kershaw came through like he has many times before.  The Dodgers’ ace pitched 7 strong innings, and Cody Bellinger hit his team-leading 7th homer of the season as the Dodgers beat the Rockies 6-2 at Coors Field on Friday night.

Kershaw (6-2) allowed just two runs on seven hits, but managed to pitch his way out of trouble repeatedly.  He was also supported by three double plays turned by the Dodgers’ defense.

When the Dodgers score 4 or more runs, Kershaw is a lifetime 89-0.  He’s also 20-6 in his career versus the Rockies, surpassing the win total of left-hander Randy Johnson.

LA got 5 runs in the 2nd inning, highlighted by a 2-run triple by Chase Utley.  Joc Pederson followed with an RBI double, then Corey Seager delivered a 2-run double.

The Rockies would get a couple of runs back in the 3rd and 4th off of Kershaw.  DJ LeMahiedu hit an RBI single, then Carlos Gonzales added a run-scoring single of his own.

Rockies’ starter Tyler Chatwood (3-5) took the loss, giving up 5 runs in 4 1/3 innings.  He left after 85 pitches.

The 5 runs were all the offense that Kershaw would need.  Bellinger’s solo homer in the 8th would add some extra insurance.  The victory pulled the Dodgers within 1.5 games of the 1st place Rockies.

The Dodgers used Luis Avilan, Pedro Baez, and Kenley Jansen out of the bullpen to shutdown the Rockies after Kershaw departed after 7.  Baez and Avilan combined to strike out the side in the 8th inning.

The Dodgers and Rockies will play game three of their four game set on Saturday night.  Alex Wood (3-0, 2.73 ERA) will get the start for LA, while Colorado will go with Tyler Anderson (2-3, 6.69 ERA).

May 11, 2017

The Rockies jumped out to a big lead on Thursday night at Coors Field, then held on to beat the Dodgers 10-7.

Colorado jumped out to a 10-0 lead, highlighted by 2-run doubles from Ian Desmond and Nolan Arenado.  Both of them had two doubles on the night.

Carlos Gonzales snapped out out his slump with 2 hits and 3 runs batted in as well, as the Dodgers had their 5-game win streak snapped.

The Dodgers tried to rally, scoring 7 straight runs, but it was too little too late.  Jeff Hoffman (1-0) picked up the win, allowing 3 runs over 5 1/3 innings after being recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque earlier in the day.

Hyun-Jin Ryu (1-5) came off the DL and had a rough start.  He took the loss, allowing ten runs, five of them earned, and walked six over four innings.  His re-instatement sent Kenta Maeda to the DL with a hamstring injury.

Greg Holland picked up his 15th save of the season for the Rockies.  Holland struck out Yasiel Puig with Cody Bellinger standing on 3rd base to end the game.

“It is Coors Field and anything can happen,” said Cody Bellinger.  “Even though we were down 10-0 we were like listen you know where we’re playing.  So we never gave up and we made it close.”

The Dodgers and Rockies will be back at it on Friday.  Clayton Kershaw (5-2, 2.40 ERA) will try to put LA back in the win column, while the Rockies will go with Tyler Chatwood (3-4, 4.74 ERA).

May 10, 2017

Cody Bellinger continued his offensive onslaught, and the Dodgers completed a sweep of the Pirates with a 5-2 victory on Wednesday night at the Ravine.

Bellinger connected on a 2-run homer in the 1st inning, which was his 6th long ball on the season.  That was part of a 3-run first inning after Chase Utley delivered an RBI single later on in the 1st, which scored Yasmani Grandal.

Kenta Maeda (3-2) got the win after pitching a career-high 8 1/3 innings, giving up just 2 runs on 5 hits.  He struck out 5 and did not walk anybody.  He made 104 pitches.

Utley added to the lead in the 4th inning, knocking in Chris Taylor with an RBI double.  Utley started at 1st base after Bellinger was moved back to left field due to the season-ending knee injury to Andrew Toles.

Chad Kuhl (1-3) took the loss for the Bucs.  He went 5 innings, giving up 4 runs on 6 hits.  He was lifted for a pinch hitter in the 6th inning, and ultimately was buried by the two-out rally the Dodgers put together in the 1st inning.

Yasmani Grandal made it 5-0 in the 8th inning with an RBI double, scoring Corey Seager.  Grandal was 3-3 on the night, with a walk and a run scored.

Grant Dayton came in to record the final two outs of the game for the Dodgers.  He came into the game after Francisco Cervelli broke the shutout with a 2-run homer in the 9th of of Maeda.

With the sweep, the Dodgers have now won 5 straight games and improved their record  20-14.  They lead the NL in run differential.  LA is now 1.5 games back of 1st place Colorado in the NL West.

Speaking of the Rockies, the Dodgers will open a four-game series against Colorado beginning Thursday evening at Coors Field.  Hyun-Jin Ryu (1-4; 4.05 ERA) will get the ball for LA in game 1, while the Rockies go with Tyler Anderson (2-3; 6.69 ERA).

May 10, 2017

The Dodgers learned on Wednesday that outfielder Andrew Toles will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL.

Toles was injured in the 7th inning on Tuesday night after lunging for a ball hit by Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen, which ended up breaking up Julio Urias’ no hit bid.

Toles slid on the warning track but jammed his right knee in the process.  He was removed from the game, yet managed to walk off the field.

“It’s disappointing,” Toles, on crutches, said outside the clubhouse. “I was swinging it pretty good, feeling good, playing pretty good defense, and it all kind of came to a halt.”

Toles was just getting hot too.  In the past 11 games he hit .375  with a 1.005 OPS, 2 homers, 3 doubles and 7 RBIs.  He was tied for second on the team with five home runs.

The Dodgers will now move Cody Bellinger to left field.  They recalled 1st baseman/outfielder Scott Van Slyke, along with outfielder Brett Eibner.  LA also placed reliever Adam Liberatore on the 10-day DL with a groin injury.