Hours after being named 2023 MLB All-Star Game starters, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and J.D. Martinez combined for eight RBI to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 14-3 rout of the Colorado Rockies to take the series at Coors Field.
First pitch was delayed by 1 hour and 50 minutes, but the Dodgers quickly made up for lost time. Betts led off the game with a double that led to a gift run when Martinez’s fly ball to center field was lost in the lights and dropped for a one-out RBI single.
After the Rockies tied the game in bottom of the first inning, Betts provided another spark with his leadoff double in the third. Martinez then collected a more traditional RBI base hit to put L.A. ahead.
Emmet Sheehan endured a prototypical Coors Field experience in the bottom half of the third, which saw the Rockies score two runs to jump back ahead. That was their final scoring of the night as the Dodgers proceeded to break the game open.
Their avalanche in the fourth inning began with Jason Heyward’s leadoff double that was followed by walks from Miguel Vargas and James Outman to load the bases. Betts tied the game with a sacrifice fly and Freeman delivered an RBI single that knocked Chase Anderson out of the game.
The pitching change had little impact on Max Muncy, who greeted Peter Lambert with a two-run double to the gap. Martinez then broke the game open with an opposite-field home run.
The Dodgers loaded the bases in the fifth inning and scored on Freeman’s two-run single and Muncy’s RBI base hit. Vargas drove a run in on his triple in the sixth, and the seventh inning saw Jonny DeLuca contribute an RBI single and another run score when the Rockies couldn’t make a play on Heyward’s high chopper.
Austin Barnes was the only starter in the Dodgers lineup to not have at least one hit and score a run.
The Dodgers bullpen bounced back from another shaky performance to follow Sheehan with four scoreless innings.
Freeman makes Dodgers history
With his big performance in the series finale, Freeman became the first Dodgers player with 100 hits, 50 RBI and 10 stolen bases before the month of July since the runs batted in stat was first tracked in 1920.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
