Smith, Taylor power short-handed Dodgers past Rockies, 3-2

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Will Smith hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 3-2 on Sunday.

Chris Taylor added a pair of home runs and the short-handed Dodgers won consecutive games against the Rockies with just four total runs.

Smith broke a tie with the home run to left center with one out in the eighth against righthander Carlos Estevez (22). It was his 14th home run of the season and his third in the seven-game homestand.

Taylor hit home runs in the first and fifth innings to give him 16 on the season. Phil Bickford (1-1) worked a scoreless inning for the victory, and Joe Kelly pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his first save.

Rockies right-hander Jon Gray dueled with Dodgers rookie righthander Josiah Gray, with neither involved in the decision.

Elias Diaz hit a home run for the Rockies and Trevor Story had an RBI single. The Rockies did win the series opener Friday but have an Mlblow 10 road victories this season.

Taylor led off the game for the Dodgers with a home run, but a makeshift lineup was held in check from there. Josiah Gray gave up two runs on three hits over four innings in his first career start with four walks and six strikeouts.

The Dodgers did not have either Mookie Betts (hip) or Cody Bellinger (hamstring) in the starting lineup. Corey Seager (hand) has been out since May.

The Rockies got things started early against Josiah Gray with a leadoff walk from Raimel Tapia, who stole second base. Tapia scored on Story’s two-out single to center field.

AP PHOTO BY MARK J. TERRILL Los Angeles Dodgers’ Chris Taylor, center, runs to first as he hits a solo home run while Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Jon Gray, left, watches along with catcher Elias Diaz during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 25, in Los Angeles.