The Los Angeles Dodgers concluded their six-game homestand Wednesday night with the rubber match against the Colorado Rockies. The contest marked the third of a nine-game stretch where the Dodgers face a National League West opponent.
Facing the Rockies for the second time in his career, Kenta Maeda fired his way through the first inning by striking out the side. Kiké Hernandez swung at a 2-0 pitch from Chris Rusin and hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the first.
Hernandez aggressively took third base on an Adrian Gonzalez tapper back to the mound with two outs, where he was stranded as Trayce Thompson grounded out to end the inning.
Nolan Arenado went down swinging in the second to run Maeda’s string of strikeouts to four. Gerardo Parra snapped it with a fly out, and Austin Barnes made a nice sliding stop and throw to end the inning.
The Dodgers didn’t manage any offense in the bottom of the second, with Scott Van Slyke, Howie Kendrick and A.J. Ellis going down in order. Rusin ended Maeda’s no-hitter with a two-out flare that dropped in shallow left field.
Charlie Blacmon followed with a fly out to center to end another scoreless inning. Rusin induced a pair of grounders and a fly out in the bottom of the third, getting the three outs on just nine pitches.
CONTINUE READING: Dodgers struggle to get runners on base, squander opportunities
