RARE VICTORY IN L.A.
ROCKIES 5, DODGERS 2
Colorado tops Dodgers 5-2
The SoCal cousins came through big time for the Rockies Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, and an enormous smile and a fist pump accentuated their rare 5-2 win over the Dodgers.
Orange County native Nolan Arenado punched a go-ahead single to right field off Blake Treinen in the ninth inning to produce the go-ahead run. Arenado, mired in a terrible slump with runners in scoring position, let loose with an ear-to-ear grin. Arenado’s clutch hit was set up by back-to-back singles by Raimel Tapia and Trevor Story.
Next, younger first cousin Josh Fuentes drove a pinch-hit, tworun double down the right-field line off of left-hander Alex Wood to give Colorado its three-run cushion. Fuentes started celebrating as he ran toward first.
Colorado had lost five consecutive games to the Dodgers, all on the road, since their last win on Sept. 21, 2019. The Dodgers entered the game having won 19 of their last 22 games and having defeated Colorado in 24 of the last 28 games in L.A.
After an epic bullpen meltdown in Friday night’s 10-6 loss to the Dodgers, closer Daniel Bard took care of business, shutting down the Dodgers in the ninth for his fifth save in five opportunities.
Starter German Marquez set the stage for Colorado’s victory. His moment of truth arrived in the seventh with the game tied 2-2.
After giving up a two-out double to Austin Barnes, Marquez was set to face all-star Mookie Betts, who was 2-for-2 with a walk. Manager Bud Black came to the mound to have a chat with Marquez, but left him in the game, giving Marquez an encouraging smack on the rump. Marquez responded by getting Betts to fly out to right.
Marquez entered the night in a funk, having lost a career-high four consecutive decisions over five starts, going 0-4 with a 6.83 ERA since his last win on Aug. 4 vs. San Francisco. But the righthander responded with the kind of outing Colorado needed.
He allowed two runs over seven innings, giving up five hits, striking out five and walking three. One glittering defensive play rescued him in the fourth. Right fielder Sam Hilliard robbed Cody Bellinger with a leaping catch at the right-field wall.
Marquez blanked L.A. for four innings but ran into self-induced trouble in the fifth. He opened the inning by walking Gavin Lux, who entered the game with a .150 average. Marquez got the next two outs before Betts drove in Lux with a single, and then Betts raced from first to home when Marquez hung a 1-0 slider to Corey Seager, who ripped it to center for a double.
Charlie Blackmon, who’s beginning to heat up again, powered the
Rockies to a 2-0 lead. He led off with the second with a double and raced home when Kevin Pillar flew out to right fielder Mookie Betts, who fumbled the ball as he transferred it from his glove to his hand.
Blackmon ripped a line-drive, solo homer to right off starter Tony Gonsolin in the fourth for his fifth home run of the season.