|
 Mattingly was right as the Dodgers romped, breaking the game open
with an eight-run sixth -- their biggest inning of the season --
when the first seven batters reached base.
"I was happy with the way the guys came to play today," Mattingly
said. "It seemed like the energy was pretty good as far as what we
expected."
The win coupled with San Francisco's loss at Arizona widened the
Dodgers' lead to four games over the Giants in the National League
West. The loss was the seventh straight for the Rockies, who began
their final homestand of the season. The Dodgers have won 10 of 14
games from the Rockies this season, including eight of the past nine
and have won six of eight at Coors Field.
First baseman Adrian Gonzalez drove in three runs, giving him the
National League lead with 106 RBIs, one more than injured Miami
slugger Giancarlo Stanton. Right fielder Matt Kemp hit a two-run
homer in the first. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez and pinch-hitter Jacob
Turner each had two RBIs, and third baseman Juan Uribe had three of
the Dodgers' 15 hits. Seven of them came in the sixth.
"That one inning just seemed to keep going, and it was good,"
Mattingly said. "Obviously, this is a tough place. You never feel
like you had enough runs."
Rockies manager Walt Weiss said of the sixth, "They got on a roll
there, and we couldn't stop them."
The Dodgers knocked out starter Christian Bergman (2-4) to start the
uprising in the sixth and capitalized quickly against struggling
left-hander Rex Brothers. Bergman left after loading the bases by
hitting left fielder Carl Crawford with a pitch and giving up
singles to Uribe and catcher A.J. Ellis.
"The big thing was (not) getting the leadoff hitter," said Bergman,
who made his eighth career start. "Hitting him and putting him on
and a couple of pitches over the middle of the plate put a couple of
guys on base. Kind of snowballed after that. Earlier I made a couple
of mistakes, but I was able to pitch around them. That inning they
saw too many mistakes."
With Bergman gone, Turner, who is 11-for-27 (.407) with nine RBIs as
a pinch-hitter, lined an opposite-field two-run double to right on
Brothers' first pitch, and second baseman Dee Gordon followed by
grounding a single through the drawn-in infield.
That ended the outing for Brothers, who has allowed six of nine
inherited runners to score in his past five appearances.
Nick Masset relieved Brothers and walked center fielder Yasiel Puig
to load the bases before Gonzalez singled home two runs. After
Masset struck out Kemp to record the first out of the inning,
Ramirez followed with a run-scoring double, Crawford hit a sacrifice
fly and Uribe doubled home a run to complete the eight-run
explosion. Five of the runs were charged to Brothers and Masset.
[to top of second column] |
By contrast, the Dodgers' relievers gave up one run in 5 1/3
innings. Jamey Wright (5-4), the third of seven Dodgers pitchers,
allowed a game-tying tally in the fifth but ended up with the
victory.
Mattingly took no chances with starter Roberto Hernandez, lifting
him after 3 2/3 innings in favor of Paco Rodriguez. He went to 2-0
on center fielder Charlie Blackmon but got him to ground out two
pitches later with the bases loaded to end the fourth.
It was the first game with the Dodgers since Aug. 4 for Rodriguez,
who was reinstated Saturday after missing 35 games with a shoulder
strain.
"Paco's pretty much a strike-thrower," Mattingly said, "and he's
always handled all situations pretty well."
NOTES: Dodgers LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu had an MRI and on his inflamed left
shoulder and a cortisone injection. The MRI showed no change from
one performed in May. Ryu will not throw for at least four days and
will rejoin the team in Chicago after this series to be evaluated.
He was scheduled to start Wednesday, but RHP Carlos Frias will start
in Ryu's place. ... LHP Clayton Kershaw was named National League
Player of the Week for the second time this season and fifth time in
his career. ... Rockies LHP Franklin Morales will pitch out of the
bullpen the rest of the season. LHP Yohan Flande will start in his
place Thursday. RHP Eddie Butler is expected to be recalled from
Double-A Tulsa, whose season finished Sunday, and start Sept. 23 at
San Diego when Morales' turn arises a final time. ... Rockies INF
Cristhian Adames was recalled from Tulsa. He made his major league
debut with the Rockies on July 29 during a one-game stay in the big
leagues and pinch hit in the eighth Monday, grounded out and stayed
in at second base. ... Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado did not play. He
suffered a chest contusion Sunday in St. Louis while diving for a
ball in the third inning and left the game after aggravating an
injury sustained earlier in the road trip. ... Rockies 1B Justin
Morneau returned to the lineup after missing two games with left lat
soreness.
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