Clayton Kershaw navigated early trouble and twice pitched with a lead but then was chased from the game and took the loss as the Los Angeles Dodgers fell 5-3 to the Colorado Rockies, snapping their winning streak at three games.
Freddie Freeman’s two-out infield single against Kyle Freeland led to a run when Will Smith’s double scored him in the first inning. That gave Smith six RBI in the series at Coors Field thus far.
It marked a fifth consecutive game in which the Dodgers scored first, but they are just 3-2 during that stretch. Overall this season the Dodgers are 46-10 when scoring first.
The Rockies quickly answered with two runs in the bottom of the first inning as a pair of infield singles put two on. Jose Iglesias’ chopper to third base got by Max Muncy for an error that tied the game, and Randal Grichuk put the Rockies ahead with an RBI single.
That was the start of a big night for Grichuk, who took a hit and RBI away from Muncy by making a running catch in deep center field to end the sixth inning. It kept the Dodgers’ lead at 3-2, which had been taken when Trea Turner hit a home run and Hanser Alberto dropped an RBI single into left field in the third inning.
Grichuk punctuated his efforts with a two-run triple to give the Rockies a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Elias Díaz followed that with an RBI single that chased Kershaw from the game.
After Kershaw collected the first out of the sixth inning, the Rockies strung together two singles, the two-run triple and RBI base hit over a span of just seven pitches. It put a damper on what otherwise was shaping up to be an encouraging start for Kershaw.
In starts against opponents that are not the Rockies, Kershaw has pitched to a 1.88 ERA this season. However, in two starts against the Rockies, he owns an 8.68 ERA. Kershaw entered the night with an 11-7 career record and 4.81 ERA at Coors Field.
The Dodgers had an opportunity in the ninth inning when Muncy doubled with two outs, but Daniel Bard retired Austin Barnes to convert the save.
The Rockies ended a six-game losing streak in head-to-head meetings with the Dodgers.
Dodgers trade with Cubs
Several hours before first pitch, the Dodgers traded Zach McKinstry to the Chicago Cubs for Chris Martin. The veteran relief pitcher is expected to be added to the active roster on Sunday.
The Dodgers recalled James Outman from Triple-A Oklahoma City to fill McKinstry’s spot on the roster.
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