The Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday extended their season-best winning streak to nine games and became the first team in the National League to reach 50 wins this season. Their 4-0 victory dropped the Colorado Rockies to 3.5 games back of first place in the NL West standings.
While the Dodgers shut out the Rockies, the game could have easily unfolded in a different manner. Clayton Kershaw found himself in a bases-loaded jam with one out in the first inning. He worked out of it by striking out Ian Desmond and Trevor Story.
Kiké Hernandez’s RBI base hit in the second inning broke a scoreless tie. Joc Pederson extended the Dodgers’ lead with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the third.
The home run was Pederson’s second in the last three games, with both coming on the first pitch of his at-bat. He enters play Sunday with six home runs on the season; four have come since returning from the seven-day concussion disabled list.
Two hitters after Turner drew a walk, Yasmani Grandal’s hard-hit single to right field turned into much more because Raimel Tapia overran the baseball.
That allowed Turner to score from first base and Grandal to advance to second. He was stranded, but the run support proved to be more than enough for Kershaw and the Dodgers bullpen.
The Rockies only managed four hits against Kershaw, and one off Pedro Baez. Brandon Morrow and Sergio Romo each threw a perfect inning of relief.
