DODGERS DOMINATE
Colorado loses 15- 6 at Coors
Once upon a time, Coors Field was the Rockies’ safe haven. Not in 2020.
The big, bad Dodgers bludgeoned them again Friday night, smacking three home runs on their way to a 15- 6 victory. The Rockies, 22- 28 overall, fell to 11- 17 at Coors with two home games remaining. Thus, the Rockies will experience just their seventh losing record at the LoDo ballpark.
Per usual, Los Angeles’ powerful offense overwhelmed Colorado pitching. L. A.’ s 15 runs were a season- high, as were its 17 hits. The onslaught included a 3- for- 5 night by Cody Bellinger who came up a triple short of hitting for the cycle.
To get a sense of the huge gulf that separates the Dodgers and the Rockies, consider this: The Dodgers ( 37- 15) lead the majors with a plus- 117 run differential, while the Rockies’ run differential is minus 63.
There were a couple of bright spots for the Rockies. Josh Fuentes, who’s solidifying his place as Colorado’s starting first baseman, had the second three- hit game of his big- league career. He rocketed a three- run homer to left field in the second inning and added singles in the fourth and sixth. Fuentes moved to left field in the eighth inning, the first time he’s ever played the outfield in the majors or the minors.
David Dahl, who started in left field, hit a two- run triple into the right- field corner in Colorado’s three- run sixth, his first extrabase hit since Aug. 4. .
For Rockies rookie right- hander Ryan Castellani, it was another night of growing pains. The Dodgers ripped him for eight runs on seven hits over 4 1/ 3 innings.
The Dodgers, who have hit 98 home runs in their 52 games, launched two in the second inning to take a 4- 0 lead. Castellani issued a leadoff walk to Max Muncy, setting the plate for Bellinger’s two- run home run o center. Edwin Ríos’ double set up Gavin Lux’s 453- foot homer to the second deck in right field.
The Rockies unraveled in Los Angeles’ five- run fifth. A throwing error by second baseman Ryan McMahon loaded the bases and Chris Taylor immediately cashed in with a two- run single.
That was the end of Castellani’s night, but seldom- used righthander Jeff Hoffman didn’t fare
any better. He gave up three consecutive RBI singles. Hoffman also served up a solo homer to Mookie Betts in the sixth, Betts’ 16th homer.
Right- hander Wade Davis, the former all- star closer who’s nearing the end of his up- and- down three- year stay in Colorado, looks like a shell of the pitcher he used to be. Davis, who’s spent most of the season on the injured list with an ailing shoulder, gave up four runs on four hits in the seventh.