ANOTHER L.A. LOSS
Colorado scores only one run
In the shadow of the Hollywood sign, the Rockies keep playing out the same-old, tired script.
With Los Angeles starter Walker Buehler tying them up in knots and striking out 11 batters over six innings, the Rockies lost 5-1 at Dodger Stadium.
The most telling statistic of the night: Dodgers pitchers fanned 14; Rockies pitchers struck out one.
Colorado’s dropped their fifth straight game and lost for the 10th time in 12 games, dropping them back to .500 at 13-13. That might not be so terrible had they not opened the season 11-3.
The Dodgers, who improved to 20-8 and appear to be streaking toward their eighth consecutive National League West crown, have defeated Colorado 21 times in the last 25 meetings.
The Rockies have now lost 14 of 15 games in Los Angeles since July 1, 2018.
Buehler set down the first 11 batters he faced until Charlie Blackmon ripped a two-out single up the middle in the fourth.
Colorado’s best chance against Buehler fizzled in the sixth when Nolan Arenado flew out to right with two outs and two on to end the mini-rally.
Trevor Story’s RBI single to right scored Drew Butera, but Buehler fanned Charlie Blackmon on a wicked curveball. Up stepped Arenado, who worked the count to 3-2 and gave Buehler’s 96.7 mph fastball a ride, but Joc Pederson flagged it down at the base of the right-field wall.
Arenado, usually one of the best run producers in the game, is batting 2-for-28 (.071) with runners in scoring position and .067 (1-for15) with two outs and runners in scoring position this season.
With Buehler dealing like an ace for the first five innings, the Rockies needed starter Jon Gray to step up his game. He was unable to do so.
Gray departed after 3 2/3 innings, his final pitch driven into the right-field corner for a tworun double by Corey Seager.
Gray, who’s ERA has soared to 6.23 after two subpar outings in his last three starts, was charged with four runs on seven hits. He walked two, hit a batter and, most disconcerting, did not strike out a batter.
The Dodgers jumped on Gray for a run in the first, combining a leadoff double by Joc Pederson, a single by Justin Turner and an RBI double by Cody Bellinger.
L.A. hammered Gray in the decisive fourth beginning with A.J. Pollock’s leadoff double, followed by a single by Matt Beaty, an RBI single by Chris Taylor and, finally, Seager’s double.
Colorado’s highlight reel of the evening was provided by Story in the Dodgers’ eighth when he made a diving stop of Taylor’s hot shot near second base and flipped the ball to Ryan McMahon for the force out at second.
The Rockies send left-hander Kyle Freeland to the mound on Saturday night against Dodgers righty Dustin May.