The Los Angeles Dodgers slugged their way to a 4-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday thanks to home runs from Mookie Betts and Max Muncy, and an encouraging performance by Ryan Pepiot.
The Rockies jumped out to an early lead in the second inning after Ryan McMahon scored on a José Iglesias double off of Pepiot to put the Rockies up 1-0.
But the Dodgers responded in the bottom half of the inning after Will Smith worked a leadoff walk and Muncy deposited the first pitch he saw from Rockies starter Germán Márquez into the right-field pavilion for a two-run home run.
In the top of the third inning, a single from Rockies right-fielder Connor Joe was erased by a Kris Bryant double play and Pepiot notched his fourth of six total strikeouts after fanning Charlie Blackmon to end the frame.
Max Rox. pic.twitter.com/ane5BUzuWV
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All-Star behavior.
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Betts extended the Dodgers’ lead in the bottom of the third inning when he slugged a center-cut slider over the left-field wall to give L.A. a 3-1 lead.
Pepiot continued his fine outing after working around a leadoff single from Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron and ultimately retired the side following the hit.
The Dodgers added an insurance run when Muncy slugged another first-pitch fastball for a double with an exit velocity of 107.5 mph. Justin Turner was given the green light in a 3-0 count and brought in a run with a single of his own to give L.A. a 4-1 lead.
Two innings later, the Rockies got one back after Bryant hit a wall scraping home run off of Phil Bickford to bring Colorado within two.
Evan Phillips provided the Dodgers with with 1.1 scoreless innings, which included three strikeouts. Phillips hasn’t allowed a run in his past 15 appearances. After Muncy worked his second walk of the game, a Turner single placed runners on the corners with two outs for pinch hitter Trayce Thompson, who knocked in another run, bringing the score to 5-2.
Brusdar Graterol was tasked with handling the ninth inning and started off the frame with a strikeout of Brendan Rodgers. After McMahon singled, Graterol was able to retire Iglesias on four pitches and followed that up with a game-ending groundout which provided Pepiot with his first career win as a big leaguer.
Dodgers get solid outing from Pepiot
The Dodgers swapped a pair of pitchers by optioning Reyes Moronta to Triple-A Oklahoma City and recalling Pepiot for the start against the Rockies on Tuesday.
The right-hander is one of the Dodgers’ top pitching prospects and has made three previous starts at the Major League level this season. In 11.1 innings, he has posted a 3.18 ERA and struck out 25% of hitters, but he also owns a 5.41 FIP thanks in part to a 21.2% walk rate.
Pepiot gave the Dodgers five innings of one-run baseball and the young right-hander induced nine whiffs and showcased his electric changeup. In four starts this year for L.A., he’s posted a 2.76 ERA over 16.1 innings pitched and has surrendered a minuscule .175 batting average to opposing hitters.
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