Walker Buehler flirted with a perfect game and produced a career-long outing even after being struck in the upper body by a line drive but the Los Angeles Dodgers had their four-game winning streak snapped in a 2-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies.
With their win, the Rockies moved into sole possession of first place in the National League West. They now sit a half-game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who lost their fifth in a row on Monday and 11 of the last 12.
Buehler collected four strikeouts en route to retiring the first 12 batters faced. He was also efficient in the early going, needing just 30 pitches to get through two innings, and 42 through three frames.
Gerardo Parra broke up Buehler’s perfect game by leading off the fifth inning with a game-tying home run. The ensuing batter, Trevor Story, then drilled Buehler in the upper body with a line drive.
He managed to make the play for the first out but immediately crumbled to the ground in pain. Buehler was tended to by trainer Nate Lucero and manager Dave Roberts before remaining in the game.
He batted with two runners in scoring position and one out in the bottom of the fifth and proceeded to throw two more scoreless innings. Although they’d managed to solve their woes of late, the Dodgers bullpen faltered in their first time facing the Rockies this season.
Pedro Baez walked Tony Wolters, a .132 batter, who then stole second base and advanced to third on an errant throw. Baez gave way to Scott Alexander after striking out Pat Valaika. Alexander induced pinch-hitter Carlos Gonzalez into a soft tapper up the middle that Chase Utley got to but couldn’t get enough on his throw.
Max Muncy failed to dig out the short-hop, allowing Wolters to bring in the go-ahead run. The defensive play offset Muncy’s solo home run that gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning.
Justin Turner represented the go-ahead run at the plate in the eighth but grounded into an inning-ending double play. Matt Kemp reached on a two-out infield single in the ninth but made a subtle move toward second base with his left foot when the throw kicked away, and was tagged out on his attempt to get back to first base.
The Dodgers finished the game with just three hits, were 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and 1-for-18 after Muncy’s home run.
