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
Maeda needed all of seven pitches to retire the heart of the Rockies’ order in the bottom of the fourth. Christian Bergman replaced Chatwood in the fifth and allowed a one-out single to Gonzalez, who beat the shift by slapping a single to left.
Story then snagged a Kendrick liner and threw over to first base to double up Gonzalez. However, replay showed Ben Paulsen’s foot came off the bag and the Dodgers’ challenge was successful. Gonzalez was stranded as Hernandez flied out on the next pitch.
Maeda opened the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back strikeouts of Ryan Raburn and Paulsen. Hernandez saved Maeda’s no-hitter by making an over-the-shoulder catch on the run while falling down in left-center field.
Ellis collected his second hit of the game with a one-out single to right in the sixth. After he was moved into scoring position on Maeda’s sacrifice bunt, Ellis scored on Utley’s RBI double to left as Raburn was unable to make a diving catch on the sinking line drive.
Maeda struck out Cristhian Adames to start the bottom of the sixth, tying his career high of seven strikeouts. Maeda’s bid for history then came to an end as LeMahieu singled to center. A Story base hit and Carlos Gonzalez infield single loaded the bases with one out.
Maeda got of the jam unscathed by retiring Arenado and Gerardo Parra. Maeda set a career high with eight strikeouts by getting Raburn swinging for the first out in the bottom of the seventh. The right-hander then gave way to Luis Avilan.
Paulsen hit an infield single and advanced to second base on a Seager throwing error. Adrian Gonzalez had a grounder pop out of his glove, but Utley was backing up the play to record a 3-4-3 putout. Joe Blanton replaced Avilan and promptly gave up a pinch-hit RBI double to Brandon Barnes before getting out of the inning.
Pedro Baez tossed a scoreless eighth, and Kenley Jansen followed suit in the ninth to convert his eighth save in as many opportunities this season, as the Dodgers defeated the Rockies, 4-1.