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 True to their word, the Rockies rallied for three runs in the ninth
inning Wednesday to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-6 and split a
four-game series.
Third baseman Nolan Arenado hit a sacrifice fly that gave the
Rockies their second walk-off win of the season.
The Dodgers were one strike away from defeat Tuesday night when Alex
Guerrero hit a grand slam, lifting Los Angeles to a 9-8 win.
"For how bad that loss hurt, this win feels good," said shortstop
Troy Tulowitzki, who hit a three-run homer in the fifth that put the
Rockies ahead 4-2 and drove in five runs. "It was like we traded off
games there."
After setting the Rockies down in order in the eighth, Los Angeles
reliever Adam Liberatore gave up a leadoff single in the ninth to
pinch hitter Michael McKenry and a ground-rule double to center
fielder Charlie Blackmon, his fourth hit of the game.
Yimi Garcia (2-2) relieved Liberatore and walked second baseman DJ
LeMahieu to load the bases, then walked Tulowitzki to force in a run
that made it 6-5.
Catcher Yasmani Grandal was unable to handle left-hander J.P.
Howell's first pitch to right fielder Carlos Gonzalez, and the
passed ball allowed Blackmon to score the tying run. Howell
intentionally walked Gonzalez to load the bases again.
Right-hander Chris Hatcher came on to face Arenado, who fell behind
0-2 before hitting a game-winning fly to center that sailed over the
five-man infield the Dodgers employed.
"I was just trying to get the ball to the outfield," Arenado said.
Why the Dodgers didn't turn to closer Kenley Jansen in the ninth is
uncertain. He saved Tuesday night's game while throwing 16 pitches
in a scoreless ninth. Jansen had not pitched in seven days before
Tuesday.
"He just wasn't available tonight," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly
said. "I'm not talking. I don't know who wants to talk about it, but
I'm not the one talking about it."
Jansen refused to comment after the game.
The Dodgers didn't do much against Chad Bettis, but once the
Colorado starter's pitch count -- 102 in six innings -- forced him
from the game, Los Angeles quickly mounted a three-run rally in the
seventh to go ahead 5-4.
That uprising began against Christian Friedrich, who gave up singles
to the three batters he faced, the last a run-scoring flare to
center by first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.
Brooks Brown relieved Friedrich and blew his second save in as many
days. He walked second baseman Howie Kendrick to load the bases for
right fielder Andre Ethier, who grounded a two-run single into right
that put the Dodgers up a run.
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Center fielder Joc Pederson's 17th homer in the eighth made it 6-4
and made him the first Dodger rookie ever to homer in five
consecutive games.
Rockies closer John Axford (1-0) pitched the ninth, stranding a
runner at third and setting the stage for Colorado's
turnabout-is-fair-play drama in the bottom of the inning, drama that
resulted after some urging from Axford.
"Selfishly, it's the first thing I said when I got in the dugout,"
Axford said. "'Give me my first Rockies win.' I didn't say it to
myself; I said it to everybody."
Bettis is fast becoming a dependable starter for the Rockies. He
gave up two runs, one earned, in six innings, giving him a 1.21 ERA
in his past three starts.
"The separation (in velocity) he has between his fastball and his
off-speed stuff is tough to deal with," Rockies manager Walt Weiss
said. "He's really given us a shot in the arm. Chad's really done a
great job for us. He's been a huge bright spot for us. I'm real
encouraged about what we've seen."
NOTES: The start of the game was delayed 2 hours, 10 minutes by
rain, and there was a 16-minute rain delay in the top of the second.
... Rockies RHP Jordan Lyles will undergo season-ending surgery next
Wednesday to repair the medial collateral ligament and the capsule
in his left big toe. ... Rockies RHP LaTroy Hawkins (right biceps
tendinitis) will begin a rehab assignment Thursday at Triple-A
Albuquerque and will throw 25-30 pitches. He is also scheduled to
pitch Sunday for Albuquerque at Salt Lake. ... Dodgers RF Yasiel
Puig (left hamstring strain) will begin a rehab assignment Thursday
with high Class A Rancho Cucamonga at Lancaster. Barring a setback,
he could rejoin the Dodgers sometime next week. ... According to the
Elias Sports Bureau, LF Alex Guerrero on Tuesday hit the first grand
slam in franchise history when the Dodgers were trailing by exactly
three runs in the ninth inning or later.
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