The Colorado Rockies are doing their best to spoil the party for the Los Angeles Dodgers as they used a 16-2 trouncing of the N.L. West division leaders to win the rubber game of the three-game series in Coors Field. The Rockies scored eight times in the first inning (video) to set the tone and got home runs from Justin Morneau, Charlie Blackmon, and Brandon Barnes.
Morneau started the scoring with a three-run shot (16) that scored Blackmon and Josh Rutledge, who both opened the game with hits. Five more runs crossed the plate before the inning ended on hits from Wilin Rosario, Jorge De La Rosa, Blackmon and Morneau (two-run single).
Blackmon launched a solo homer (18) in the third inning and the Rockies got three more runs in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth inning. Barnes added the final tally with a solo shot (8) in the bottom of the eighth inning.
In all, Blackmon was 5 for 5 with two RBI and four runs scored. Morneau drove in six runs and scored twice with his 3-for-4 performance. Wilin Rosario drove in three and De La Rosa picked up his first RBI of the season.
De La Rosa (W: 14-11, 4.14 ERA) also pitched six shutout innings, allowing only two hits. He walked two batters and struck out three.
The Dodgers tallied single runs in the eighth and ninth innings on Darwin Barney's third home run of the season and an RBI groundout from Miguel Rojas.
Carlos Frias (0-1, 6.58 ERA) suffered the loss for the Dodgers. He allowed all eight first-inning runs on ten hits and left with two outs in his first Major League start after ten relief appearances this season. The bullpen surrendered a combined eight runs on eleven hits in 7 2/3 innings.
With the loss, the Dodgers saw their lead over the San Francisco Giants in the N.L. West drop to two games as the Giants defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 Wednesday afternoon. The Dodgers travel to Wrigley Field on Thursday to face the Chicago Cubs for four games while San Francisco will visit the San Diego Padres for a three-game series beginning Friday.
The Giants and Dodgers will meet in a crucial three-game series in Dodger Stadium from September 22-24. This series could determine which team wins the N.L. West.