The Los Angeles Dodgers faced deficits early and late in the game, then squandered their own lead and fell 6-5 to the Colorado Rockies in 10 innings. The loss dropped the Dodgers’ MLB-worst record in extra innings to 1-9 this season.
After falling behind for the first time in the series, the Dodgers responded in the third inning when Justin Turner hit a go-ahead home run to right field. Turner’s blast came with David Price on base, as the veteran starter reached on a swinging bunt to lead off the inning.
The run scored was Price’s first of his career at the collegiate, Minor League and Major League levels.
L.A. had a chance to create more separation as Turner’s home run was followed by a Smith single and Chris Taylor walk. However, Jon Gray worked out of the small jam by striking out Zach McKinstry.
Price upheld the 2-1 lead as he got through four innings on 66 pitches for his longest outing of the season. Price is expected to start stretching out and be part of the rotation moving forward.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game the goal was for the left-hander to throw 60 to 75 pitches.
Jake Reed appeared to work his way around a base hit and productive out in the fifth inning but Chris Taylor inexplicably dropped a pop-up at second base with two outs, allowing the tying run to score.
The Rockies took their second lead of the game in the seventh inning on a Matt Adams chopper that skipped off Turner’s glove and carried into left field. Turner in some sense atoned for not completing a potential inning-ending double play by hitting a double with one out in the eighth.
The double was Turner’s 250th of his career, of which 193 have come with the Dodgers. His latest extra-base hit set the table for Smith, who connected on a pitch down and in for a go-ahead two-run homer.
Blake Treinen worked a clean eighth inning, but Kenley Jansen gave up a leadoff double that came around to score with one out on Chris Owings’ pinch-hit RBI single. The blown save was Jansen’s third of the season and first since May 5.
Smith delivered for the Dodgers again in the 10th inning by driving a go-ahead single into right-center field to score Albert Pujols from second base. Phil Bickford was unable to hold that, as Trevor Story’s sacrifice fly tied the game and Charlie Blackmon followed with a walk-off home run.
Gavin Lux was removed in the ninth inning with an apparent left hamstring injury.
Dodgers fail to tie Giants
With the Dodgers losing on Sunday, the San Francisco Giants remained in first place of the National League West despite dropping a second consecutive game to the St. Louis Cardinals.
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