Dodgers’ rally falls short in high-scoring affair against Rockies
DENVER — Dave Roberts wanted to avoid using two of his top three relievers Wednesday night after de facto closer Evan Phillips pitched in the previous three games and setup man Brusdar Graterol pitched in three of four games.
So with a two-run lead in the sixth inning and dark storm clouds moving in over Coors Field, the Dodgers manager had little choice but to turn to a pair of lower-leverage arms in hopes of bridging the gap between starter Michael Grove and back-end relievers Yency Almonte and Caleb Ferguson.
That would-be bridge buckled under left-hander Victor Gonzalez and collapsed under right-hander Nick Robertson, who combined to give up five runs and four hits in the sixth inning of an eventual 9-8 loss to the Colorado Rockies.
“I thought offensively we were fantastic all night long and scored enough to win, but that sixth inning got away from us,” Roberts said. “You know you’re short-handed with some leverage guys, but you’ve still got to go out there with the guys you have and make pitches, and tonight we just couldn’t do that.”
The Dodgers scored six runs in the fourth inning, a rally that featured Yonny Hernández’s two-run single and was capped by Mookie Betts’ three-run homer, his 20th of the season, to take a 6-4 lead. Grove, who allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings of a spot start, retired the side in order in the fifth.
Gonzalez struck out Nolan Jones to open the sixth before Randal Grichuk lined a single to center field and took third on Jorge Alfaro’s double to right center. Gonzalez hit No. 9 batter Brenton Doyle with a pitch to load the bases and was replaced by Robertson.
Jurickson Profar walked to force in a run, cutting the Dodgers’ lead to 6-5. Ezequiel Tovar followed with a three-run double that one-hopped the wall in right-center to give the Rockies an 8-6 lead, a ball that Dodgers center fielder James Outman got a late jump on but probably wouldn’t have caught anyway. Ryan McMahon struck out, but Elias Diaz lined an RBI single to center for a 9-6 lead.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says pitcher Clayton Kershaw went through a normal post-start, Day One workout Wednesday. Roberts said he is “encouraged.”
“I kind of froze,” Outman said of the Tovar double. “I don’t know if I would have had it with a good jump, but I didn’t help myself.”
The Dodgers rallied for two runs in the eighth to trim the deficit to 9-8, Jason Heyward and David Peralta sparking the rally with singles, Hernandez hitting a sacrifice fly, Betts walking and Freddie Freeman hitting an RBI single to center.
Will Smith walked to load the bases with two outs, but J.D. Martinez, who clubbed two homers in Tuesday night’s win, struck out swinging at a 2-and-2 sweeper from right-hander Justin Lawrence to end the inning.
“That’s the situation we want,” Betts said of Martinez’s bases-loaded at-bat. “Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. But that’s kind of how you draw it up, and then you just let the chips fall where they may.”
The news wasn’t all bad for the Dodgers on Wednesday. Though the team provided little, if any, clarity on Clayton Kershaw’s condition, whatever is ailing the veteran left-hander in the wake of Tuesday night’s six-inning, one-hit effort will apparently not send him to the injured list.
“He feels good,” Roberts said. “He’s gonna play catch on Friday or Saturday, and then the plan is for him to make his next start.”
Kershaw faced the minimum 18 batters and threw only 79 pitches in the 5-0 win, but they were at high altitude on a 90-degree night. After Doyle broke up his no-hitter with two outs in the sixth inning, it was clear the ace couldn’t continue.
“I just needed to come out there,” Kershaw said after the game. “I think I’ll be all right. It’s just something where I was trying to do the right thing.”
Roberts declined to pinpoint a specific injury but said, “It’s not his back.” Kershaw went on the injured list twice because of lower-back injuries last season. He missed the final two months of the 2021 season and postseason because of an elbow injury.
Miguel Vargas was becoming a more proficient defender at a position he made only 27 starts at in five minor league seasons. Then he suddenly forgot how to hit.
Could Roberts say if the injury was arm-related?
“I can’t, I won’t,” Roberts said. “I’ll let him talk about it.”
Kershaw was not available before the game and declined to speak with reporters on his way out of the clubhouse after the game. He completed his normal post-start, Day One workout Wednesday. Roberts said Kershaw did not undergo an MRI.
“Just the doctor checking him out to make sure everything is working appropriately,” Roberts said. “I’m encouraged considering what he did today.”
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