After dropping the first game of the series, the Los Angeles Dodgers entered Tuesday’s contest relying on a 19-year-old starting pitcher. In only the third start of his career, Julio Urias made his Dodger Stadium debut.
Urias retired DJ LeMahieu on a lineout to center field, but then found himself in early trouble. Ryan Raburn pulled a double into left and Nolan Arenado drew a walk after working a full count.
However, Urias managed to work himself out of trouble behind an impressive fastball as Carlos Gonzalez and Trevor Story both struck out on high four-seamers. Eddie Butler, another young pitcher in his own right, got off to a rocky start.
He walked Chase Utley and Corey Seager to put two on with none out in the bottom of the first. Then Justin Turner, who entered a career 8-for-11 against Butler, clubbed a three-run homer to the left field pavilion.
The home run was Turner’s fourth of the season and first at Dodger Stadium. Urias retired the Rockies in order in the second inning, and picked up his third strikeout of the game to end the frame. Urias to that point had thrown 41 of his allotted 80-90 pitches.
A Yasmani Grandal leadoff single in the bottom of the second was erased immediately after as Urias’ sacrifice bunt attempt went in the direction of Arenado, who started a double play. Utley then went down swinging for his seventh strikeout in last 14 at-bats.
LeMahieu singled with one out in the third inning and soon after stole second base. Arenado got the Rockies on the board wit a drive to left field that Howie Kendrick had trouble with, resulting in an RBI double.
Urias limited the damage to just one run as he collected his second strikeout of the game against Gonzalez to escape with a 3-1 lead.
CONTINUE READING: Urias pushes the limit in Dodger Stadium debut
Butler again worked around a leadoff base hit in the bottom of the third, as Turner grounded into a force out and Adrian Gonzalez hit into an inning-ending double play. Facing the prospect of the fourth inning being his last, Urias appeared to empty the tank.
He struck out Story and Mark Reynolds, then got Gerardo Parra to line softly to Seager. Urias finished with four innings of work, three hits, one run, one walk and seven strikeouts. Louis Coleman came on in the fifth and issued a leadoff walk.
Grandal came out from behind the plate to make a nice play on Butler’s sacrifice bunt attempt, throwing out Dustin Garneau at second base. The Dodgers then caught a break as LeMahieu’s drive to right-center field resulted in a ground-rule double.
Coleman walked Raburn to load the bases and had the daunting task of facing Arenado. The Rockies’ third baseman popped out on the second pitch of the at-bat, which marked the end of Coleman’s work.
Adam Liberatore took over and struck out Carlos Gonzalez on a check-swing call. Butler continued to keep the Dodgers off the bases, retiring the side in order in the bottom of the fifth. Joe Blanton worked around a one-out single in the sixth to toss a scoreless inning of relief.
Seager drew a leadoff walk in bottom half, giving the Dodgers their first baserunner since the third inning. Nothing came of it, however, as Turner hit into a double play and Adrian Gonzalez grounded out.
Pinch-hitter Daniel Descalso led off the seventh inning with a solo home run that stayed fair down the right field line. After Raburn’s base hit to right field, Seager went out into shallow center field for an over-the-shoulder catch.
However, Seager’s throw to first base to try and double up Raburn got by Gonzalez and a half-hearted backup attempt from Grandal and rolled into the Rockies’ dugout for a two-base error. Pedro Baez and Kiké Hernandez entered as part of a double switch, with Blanton and Turner exiting, and Kendrick moving from left field to third base.
Carlos Gonzalez hit a shot to Utley’s right that he managed to knock down but couldn’t finish the play and the RBI single tied the game at 3-3. Baez then struck out Story on fastball to end the inning.
Gonzalez Germen walked Utley with two outs in the bottom of the eighth and gave way to Boone Logan. The left-hander struck out Seager looking on three pitches to end the inning. Kenley Jansen worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth and got through the top of the Rockies lineup without allowing them to take the lead.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Trayce Thompson lifted the Dodgers to a victory with his second career walk-off home run.