Corey Seager hit a solo home run and the Los Angeles Dodgers avoided the three-game sweep with a 4-2 victory against the Colorado Rockies in the finale of the series on Thursday night at Coors Field.
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Maeda (10-7) gave up four hits and struck out five for the Dodgers, who lead the NL wild-card race.
David Dahl continued his hit streak with a two-run home run for the Rockies’ only runs. Pedro Baez, Joe Blanton and Kenley Jansen worked the final 3 1/3 innings with Jansen earning his 32nd save in 36 opportunities. That matches Hanley Ramirez, who hit 19 home runs as a shortstop for the Dodgers in 2013. It was his third homer and gave him a 10-game hitting streak to start his career, the second-longest in Rockies history.Dahl’s home run came on the Rockies’ lone at-bat with a runner in scoring position. The home run was Dahl’s third – and he has hit safely in his first 10 major-league games. The rookie matched the Los Angeles record for homers in a season by a shortstop originally set in 2013 by Hanley Ramirez. A double by Justin Turner, infield single by Adrian Gonzalez and two-run triple by Yasmani Grandal extended L.A.’s lead to 4-2.
Seager entered the contest tied for second in the National League in doubles with 30 and for fourth in runs scored with 70. With a runner on first, Joc Pederson smashed a ball of Mark Reynolds’ glove and looked to be coasting towards an RBI double when a fan alertly interfered and saved the Rockies a run.
“We knew what to expect (with Maeda)”, Weiss said. Starters Kenta Maeda and Tyler Chatwood had combined to give up just three hits through the first three innings. Stewart allowed nine runs in four-plus innings in a 12-2 loss to the Rockies on Wednesday.
Through the first three innings of tonight’s game, you would have sworn it was setting up to be an unpredicted pitcher’s dual. The fan was removed from the game. For the Marlins, former closer David Phelps is moving to the rotation and will face off against Jorge De La Rosa.
The Dodgers recalled LHP Grant Dayton from Triple-A Oklahoma City and optioned RHP Brock Stewart to Triple-A.
Dodgers: LHP Rich Hill (blister on hand) played catch Thursday and hopes to start for the Dodgers on Sunday against Boston. “We haven’t locked it in”, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “but I think our goal is for Rich to make the start on Sunday”.
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tyler Chatswood delivers a pitch in the first inning of the game at Coors Field against the Los Angeles Dodgers on August, 4, 2016. He sprained his left ankle coming out of the batters’ box Wednesday…. Seager now has the rest of the season to try and catch Colorado Rockies’ rookie Trevor Story for the most home runs by a rookie shortstop (27), after Story was lost for the season with a torn muscle in his thumb.
“We are a little nicked up right now”, Weiss said postgame.
Dodgers: LHP Scott Kazmir (9-4, 4.41 ERA) is to start Friday against Boston and knuckleballer Steven Wright.
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Rockies: De La Rosa (7-7) has thrown a quality start in seven of his last eight outings.
