Field Level Media
Jun 29, 2019
Charlie Blackmon homered, Pat Valaika had two hits, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 in Denver on Saturday night.
Jon Gray (9-5) struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings in his second straight strong start. He has allowed just three earned runs over his last three outings.
Wade Davis pitched the ninth for his 12th save in 14 chances.
Edwin Rios tripled for his first major league hit and also singled, and Alex Verdugo singled three times for the Dodgers. Los Angeles has lost two straight to Colorado after winning 12 in a row against the Rockies.
Clayton Kershaw (7-2) allowed five runs -- four earned -- and struck out seven over seven innings. He lost for just the second time in 14 starts this year.
Kershaw allowed just three hits through the first five innings but got roughed up in the sixth. Blackmon reached on a one-out error by Max Muncy, and Raimel Tapia and Nolan Arenado followed with singles to tie it at 3-3. Ian Desmond's infield single loaded the bases, and Mark Reynolds drove in two with another single to give Colorado a 5-3 lead.
The Dodgers took the early lead when Verdugo reached on a one-out single in the first and Cody Bellinger lined a double down the right field line with two outs.
Kershaw retired the first six batters he faced, but Valaika broke that string with a leadoff single in the third. Blackmon gave the Rockies a 2-1 lead three batters later, driving a 2-2 curveball into the Colorado bullpen. It was his 19th homer of the season.
Los Angeles tied it in the fourth when Justin Turner reached on a two-base error by Desmond in center and scored on Rios' triple to left-center. The Dodgers took a 3-2 lead in the fifth when Austin Barnes walked, moved to second on a sacrifice and third on a single, and scored on Verdugo's single to center.
They could have added more but first baseman Reynolds made a leaping catch of Bellinger's line drive to end the inning.
--Field Level Media