BLACKMON HR ENDS ROCKIES’ LOSING SKID TO DODGERS
Veteran’s walk-off heroics snap Colorado’s losing streak to Los Angeles Dodgers
Charlie Blackmon crushed the curse — or whatever the Los Angeles Dodgers had over the Rockies since opening day.
Blackmon’s two-out, walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning Sunday gave Colorado a 6-5 victory at Coors Field to snap an eight-game losing streak against the Dodgers, who took a 5-4 lead in the top of the 10th and was in position to tie San Francisco atop the NL West standings.
“That was a good win right there,” Blackmon said after connected for his fifth homer of the year. “(Starter) Jon Gray pitched so good I wish he gotten the win today. We really had to battle today. It wasn’t an easy win. There were times where it looked we might not win (and other times) it looked like we would win. It was back and forth and that was a good win going into the off day.”
It was the club-record-tying 10th walkoff win this season for the Rockies, who lead all of MLB in that category.
“I had a good feeling. I think we all had a good feeling with Chuck up there,” Rockies acting manager Mike Redmond said. “He’s such a big-time player, such a big part of this, this team and this organization. And when you sit there as a coach you want a certain guy out there at the plate — him and Trev (Story). I mean, those guys are huge parts of this team. And they come through big almost all the time.”
The Rockies (41-53) were again without manager Bud Black, one coach and four players because of MLB’S COVID protocols. They were facing a team they beat 8-5 on opening day but have since been outscored 58-26, including 19-6 in the first two games of this weekend series.
But they found a way to win despite trailing 4-3 in the ninth and 5-4 in the 10th.
Center fielder Garrett Hampson also scored in 10th as the extra-inning runner on second base. He advanced to third on Brendan Rodgers’ outfield fly and scored on Story’s sacrifice fly.
The Rockies rallied to force extras in the ninth when third baseman Ryan Mcmahon led off with a double off the center-field wall and was brought in by left fielder Chris Owings’ single to left.
“This is an amazing group of guys,” Richmond said. “They keep fighting. We know where we’re at, right? And then we know what the record is against the Dodgers. We want to beat these guys. And we’ve had — as long as I’ve been here — we’ve had some tough games and everyone knows that.
“Hopefully, today was a big step in getting on the other side of these tough games.”
Gray was fabulous, allowing just six hits and two runs through seven innings. But the Rockies had to pinch-hit for him in the eighth with runners on the corners — a successful move that led to Colorado taking the lead on Matt Adams’ pinch-hit single.
But in the top of the eighth, Rockies reliever Carlos Estevez allowed a double to third baseman Justin Turner and two-run homer to catcher Will Smith for a 4-3 lead. Mcmahon then rose to the occasion in the back-and-forth affair in the bottom of the ninth, with Owings coming through with the tying RBI.
Gray opposed the Dodgers’ David Price, who allowed just two hits and one run in four innings. Forty-two of his 66 pitches were strikes. Gray was just as good, but lasted three innings longer.
“I think Johnny keeps growing, keeps growing and getting better, more confident,” Redmond said of Gray.
The Rockies struck first, taking a 1-0 lead out of the first inning. Hampson led off with a single. Rodgers moved Hampson to second with a slow ground out and, after Story struck out, Blackmon singled to score Hampson.
The Dodgers took the lead in the third with Turner’s two-out, two-run homer. Price led off with a single and could have been doubled off at first on Max Muncy’s flyout but Hampson’s throw was off target. Turner made the Rockies pay with an opposite-field homer.
The Rockies tied it 2-2 in the fifth when Alex Vesia took over for Price. Owings delivered a oneout single before advancing to second on Gray’s sacrifice bunt. Hampson then popped up to second basemen Chris Taylor, who struggled with the sun and had the ball pop off his glove, scoring Ownings.
The Rockies have two days off this week — Monday and Thursday — with a 10-game road trip in southern California starting Friday.