Field Level Media
Sep 18, 2018
Joc Pederson hit two home runs and Max Muncy added a homer as the Los Angeles Dodgers moved back into first place in the National League West with an 8-2 victory over the visiting Colorado Rockies on Monday night.
Hyun-Jin Ryu pitched seven scoreless innings as the Dodgers and Rockies traded places in the NL West standings for a third consecutive day. The Dodgers moved into first place Saturday, the Rockies regained the lead Sunday and the Dodgers moved back on top after the first game of this three-game series.
Colorado's Trevor Story left the game in the fourth inning after a swing-and-miss against Ryu. The Rockies later announced that Story exited due to right elbow soreness, and he will be re-evaluated Tuesday. His 33 home runs are the most in a single season by a Colorado shortstop.
Rockies starter Jon Gray lasted just two-plus innings, giving up six runs on seven hits with two walks and a strikeout. Gray (11-8) failed to reach the fifth inning for a third consecutive start, allowing a combined 12 earned runs over those contests.
The Dodgers struck quickly in the first when Pederson led off by hitting a home run to left field. It was his ninth career leadoff home run and sixth this season. Muncy scored later in the inning on a wild pitch.
Muncy highlighted a four-run third inning with a three-run home run, his 33rd, increasing the lead to 6-0. That blast followed an RBI single by Manny Machado. After a Yasiel Puig single gave the Dodgers five consecutive runners to open the third inning, Gray was removed.
Pederson's second home run of the game came in the fourth inning, when he went deep against Rockies reliever Harrison Musgrave. It was Pederson's 23rd home run of the season and the eighth multi-homer game of his career.
Pederson also contributed on defense, tracking down a deep fly ball into the left-field corner by Drew Butera in the fifth inning, then fist-bumping a fan in the first row.
The Dodgers scored a combined 25 runs in two victories at St. Louis on Saturday and at home against Colorado on Monday. In between, they were shut out 5-0 on Sunday against the Cardinals.
--Field Level Media