Dodgers rock Rockies despite key injury worry
Ohtani was unable to play in the final game of the series against the Rockies due to a thigh injury.
The Los Angeles Dodgers (73–55) are trying to hold onto their slim lead in the NL West. They stayed on top of the division with a 9–5 win over the Colorado Rockies (37–91), despite being without Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese star missed the fourth game of the series against the division rival due to a thigh contusion.
The Dodgers jumped ahead in the first inning on a two-run homer by Freddie Freeman. Colorado answered in the bottom half when Hunter Goodman drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, but Los Angeles quickly regained control. In the second inning, Miguel Rojas brought home a run with a bunt, and Will Smith added another with a bases-loaded single.
Dave Roberts’ club kept piling on. In the third, Alex Call grounded out to score Alex Freeland. The following inning, Michael Conforto lifted a sacrifice fly and Freeland doubled in another run to make it 6–1. Brenton Doyle briefly cut into the deficit with a sacrifice fly, but Andy Pages answered in the fifth with a towering home run out of Coors Field, extending the Dodgers’ lead to 8–2.
Doyle stayed productive for Colorado, knocking in another run in the sixth with an RBI single that ended Clayton Kershaw’s night. The Rockies loaded the bases after Ben Casparius came in from the bullpen, but Kyle Farmer failed to capitalize, stranding three runners.
In the eighth, Will Smith—serving as the designated hitter in Ohtani’s absence—drove in Buddy Kennedy for the Dodgers’ ninth run with his only hit of the game. Doyle wasn’t finished, however, crushing a 442-foot, two-run homer that would have been a walk-off in every major league ballpark.
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Closer Alex Vesia sealed the win in the ninth. The left-hander struck out Orlando Arcia to start, allowed a single to Ryan Ritter, then retired Tyler Freeman on a flyout. He finished the job by striking out Ezequiel Tovar, locking in the Dodgers’ victory.
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