Dodgers’ vaunted bats come back to sea level in loss to Rockies

The Dodgers’ patchwork pitching plan Saturday evening was fraught however purposeful.

In a 3-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Subject, it was their lineup that fell flat on the season’s second day.

Of their lowest-scoring efficiency in Denver since July 2019, the Dodgers tallied simply seven hits and no walks. For the primary seven innings, they had been silenced by Rockies starter Germán Márquez. Then within the eighth, they missed a first-rate alternative, scratching throughout a game-tying run however leaving the bases loaded.

That allowed the Rockies to go on and win, with Connor Joe’s go-ahead residence run off Blake Treinen within the backside of the eighth proving to be the distinction in entrance of a sold-out crowd of 48,087.

“We had an opportunity to win,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned.

Within the prime of the eighth inning, nevertheless, they squandered their finest likelihood to take management.

Trailing 2-1, they acquired a rally going after a line-drive single from Gavin Lux and bloop base hit from Austin Barnes. Within the subsequent at-bat, Mookie Betts despatched a weak fly ball into shallow middle discipline, nevertheless it dropped between three Rockies to attain Lux with the tying run.

Chants of “Fred-die!” from a heavy contingent of Dodgers followers then stuffed the ballpark because the group’s new star, Freddie Freeman, walked to the plate. He struck a fly ball to the deepest a part of the ballpark, however watched it die proper in entrance of the 415-foot marker in straightaway middle discipline.

“I assumed Freddie clipped [it],” Roberts mentioned. “Simply didn’t get sufficient of it.”

As an alternative, the Dodgers had been left second-guessing a baserunning resolution. Freeman’s drive was deep sufficient that Barnes might have tagged at second base and superior to 3rd — the place he seemingly would have scored on Trea Turner’s infield single within the subsequent at-bat.

Barnes stayed put although, not sure if the ball was going to bounce off the wall and electing to play it protected with just one out.

“With one out, by the ebook, you don’t, since you’re already in scoring place,” Roberts mentioned when requested if the baserunners ought to have superior. “However definitely on a ball that’s that far out, it wouldn’t have been a nasty play.”

Whereas Turner’s infield single loaded the bases, Max Muncy left all three stranded with a fly out.

Within the backside half of the inning, Treinen left a two-out, two-strike cutter over the guts of the plate that Joe clobbered 444 toes to present the Rockies a 3-2 lead.

Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen, entrance, reacts after giving up a go-ahead solo residence run to the Rockies’ Connor Joe within the eighth inning.

(David Zalubowski / Related Press)

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“It’s not a nasty pitch to throw if it’s executed,” Treinen mentioned.

“However that was fairly flat, middle-middle. Undoubtedly higher pitches to throw in that scenario.”

Rockies nearer Daniel Bard struck out Justin Turner, Edwin Ríos and Cody Bellinger within the ninth for the save.

The consequence overshadowed an encouraging, if not awe-inspiring efficiency from the Dodgers’ pitching employees. Tony Gonsolin labored by three innings however gave up just one run.

Newly signed bulk reliever Tyler Anderson then piggybacked for 4 extra innings, additionally surrendering just one run.

“We put ourselves in a great spot to forestall runs tonight,” Roberts mentioned.

Scoring them, nevertheless, was a unique story.

The Dodgers altered their lineup — Chris Taylor sat towards the right-handed Márquez in favor of designated hitter Ríos, and Barnes changed Will Smith behind residence plate — however managed just one run within the first seven innings, on a house run by Barnes within the third.

Apart from that, Márquez stored them quiet. Using a five-pitch combine headlined by an upper-90s fastball and swing-and-miss slider, the right-hander struck out 5 in seven innings and didn’t subject a stroll.

And after Barnes’ residence run, he retired 14 of the ultimate 15 Dodgers he confronted.

“We actually didn’t get too many good swings off him,” Roberts mentioned.

Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin gave up one run in three innings. He yielded 5 hits, struck out three and walked one.

(David Zalubowski / Related Press)

The Dodgers had been punished for a few defensive miscues as nicely.

Within the first inning, Betts fielded a Ryan McMahon single in proper discipline and delivered an virtually excellent throw to the plate as Kris Bryant tried racing residence from second.

The one-hopper hit Barnes within the mitt, however then got here free when he and Bryant collided.

The Rockies retook the lead within the sixth after second baseman Muncy bobbled a possible double-play ball. That allowed C.J. Cron to succeed in second, earlier than he superior to 3rd on a wild pitch and scored on a bloop single by Joe.

Regardless of all that, the Dodgers nonetheless had been in it late — and gave the impression to be on the verge of an offensive outburst within the eighth, just like the five-run fourth inning that lifted them to a win on opening day.

This time, nevertheless, their star-studded offense did not shine.