The Los Angeles Dodgers squandered multiple opportunities on Friday night, and Colorado Rockies rallied late to hand the Dodgers a fifth consecutive loss at Coors Field. Los Angeles looked to rebound in the middle game of the series with Kenta Maeda on the mound.
The Dodgers again went to work early, with Corey Seager lining the first pitch he saw from Tyler Chatwood for a one-out single into left field. Yasiel Puig followed with a double to left-center, and an Adrian Gonzalez RBI groundout gave Maeda a 1-0 lead before he stepped foot on the mound.
Maeda opened the bottom of the first with consecutive strikeouts of Trevor Story and Carlos Gonzalez. The Japanese native then completed a 1-2-3 inning by getting Nolan Arenado to pop-up. Joc Pederson worked a full count before sneaking a one-out single by a diving DJ LeMahieu.
A.J. Ellis also forced Chatwood to a full count, ending his at-bat with a two-run home run that extended the Dodgers’ lead to 3-0. Maeda picked up a third strikeout of the game and worked around a two-out walk to complete a second scoreless inning.
Chatwood walked Seager to start the third, then struck out Puig and Adrian Gonzalez. Howie Kendrick kept the inning alive with a base hit to left field and Kiké Hernandez drew a walk to load the bases. Pederson made solid contact, only to line out to DJ LeMahieu.
Maeda continued to sail through the game, retiring the Rockies in order in the bottom of the third, collecting his fourth strikeout in the process. Chatwood quickly retired Ellis and Maeda in the fourth, but then gave up a two-out single to Chase Utley. Nothing came of it as Seager flied out to the warning track in center field.
CONTINUE READING: Kenta Maeda flirts with no-hit bid