Dodgers: Team gathers to commemorate Jackie Robinson Day.
LOS ANGELES » File this one under “weird flex, but OK.”
Mookie Betts and Corey Seager did not start the Dodgers’ series finale against the Colorado Rockies. The stars were granted a day’s rest in advance of a three-game weekend series against the San Diego Padres, the second-place team in the National League West.
Cody Bellinger was already on the injured list. Gavin Lux, Seager’s replacement at shortstop, was a late lineup scratch. With one hand tied safely behind their back, the Dodgers proceeded to beat the Rockies 7-5, completing a three-game series sweep before an announced sellout crowd of 15,129 at Dodger Stadium.
The Rockies were leading 5-3 in the seventh inning when Max Muncy launched a three-run home run off Yency Almonte. The Dodgers never trailed again. Will Smith added an insurance run when he scored from third base on a wild pitch, and David Price pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the first regular-season save of his career.
Justin Turner hit his second home run in as many games, and also doubled as part of a 3-for-3 performance. Chris Taylor contributed a double to the Dodgers’ nine-hit attack.
Taylor’s most significant contribution was not with his bat, but his feet.
With one out in the seventh inning, Matt Beaty drew a walk. Taylor hit a potential doubleplay ground ball to third base, but he hustled down the line to beat the relay by a step. That kept the inning alive for Turner, who drew a walk.
Almonte fell behind Muncy 2-and-0, then left a changeup over the plate. Muncy didn’t miss, sending his third home run of the season into the rightfield bleachers.
Julio Urías’ third start of 2021 was not his best. For five innings he limited Colorado (3-10) to three hits and two runs, courtesy of solo home runs by Ryan McMahon and Garrett Hampson. Until then, it wasn’t looking like his worst start of the season.
The sixth inning wasn’t merely a Waterloo for Urías. It was the Dodgers’ ugliest inning of the season.
With one out, McMahon doubled to left field, then scored the tying run on a line-drive single by C.J. Cron. Josh Fuentes scorched a ground ball to shortstop, and Taylor could only knock it down on the edge of the infield dirt. The Rockies were timing up Urías with ease. Pitching coach Mark Prior visited the mound.
Urías struck out Elias Diaz for the second out. The next batter, Yonathan Daza, dropped a firstpitch fastball into right field for a single. Calamity ensued.
McKinstry, filling in for Betts, fielded Daza’s flare on one hop. Gearing up for a throw to home plate, the rookie mishandled the ball as Cron scored easily.
Daza made the mistake of rounding first base too aggressively and was caught in a rundown. Fuentes, the lead runner, made a dash for home plate and slid in safely when Taylor’s throw sailed over the head of Smith, the catcher.
The Dodgers won all six games on their first homestand of 2021 and improved to 11-2 on the season.