The Los Angeles Dodgers looked to put off-the-field drama behind them on Tuesday as they faced the Colorado Rockies in the opener of a three-game series at Coors Field. Josh Reddick started in right field and hit fourth in what was his Dodgers debut.
Jon Gray retired the side in order in the first inning, which forced Reddick to wait for his first plate appearance. That became an extended period of time as the game entered a rain delay after Brandon McCarthy struck out Charlie Blackmon and walked DJ LeMahieu.
Play resumed 38 minutes and McCarthy proceeded to labor through the inning. A Carlos Gonzalez single put two on with one out, and David Dahl later walked to load the bases.
Mark Reynolds flied out to the warning track in left-center field to let McCarthy off the hook. Yasmani Grandal walked with two outs in the second inning, giving the Dodgers their first baserunner in the game.
Joc Pederson nearly broke the tie but his drive to deep center field was caught on the warning track. Although Daniel Descalso led off the bottom of the second with a bunt single, he was erased one pitch later as Nick Hundley grounded into a double play.
McCarthy then struck out Gray to get through a scoreless inning on just nine pitches. Blackmon drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the third and went first to third base on a LeMahieu single to left.
McCarthy managed to limit the damage to just one run, scored on a Gonzalez groundout to first base. Justin Turner broke up Gray’s no-hitter with a one-out double down the third base line in the fourth inning.
After lining out in his first at-bat, Reddick rolled a grounder over to first base. Adrian Gonzalez walked to put two on for Grandal, who stranded both runners. McCarthy walked Reynolds and Descalso to put two on with none out in the bottom of the fourth.
McCarthy was removed after throwing 85 pitches in three-plus innings and with a career-high five walks. Luis Avilan took over and promptly gave up an RBI single. He then misplayed Gray’s sacrifice bunt attempt, which left the bases loaded with none out.
Blackmon was hit by a pitch to bring a run in and another scored on a force out at second base, extending the Rockies’ lead to 4-0. Nolan Arenado was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs.
Dahl was unable to capitalize as he struck out swinging on three pitches to end the inning. Scott Van Slyke pinch-hit for Avilan with two outs in fifth and slapped a base hit to right field. Gray kept his shutout intact by retiring Chase Utley.
J.P. Howell worked around a two-out infield single in the bottom of the fifth to keep the Dodgers within reasonable distance of the Rockies. Chris Russin came on in the sixth and retired Seager, Turner and Reddick in order.
Reddick dropped to 0-for-3 on the night but again made solid contact as a line drive was snagged by LeMahieu. Blackmon led off the bottom of the sixth with a single, which knocked Howell out of the game.
Jesse Chavez, acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays, came on for his debut with the Dodgers. Chavez walked LeMahieu then gave up a two-run double to Carlos Gonzalez. Reynolds tacked on an RBI single before Chavez could get out of the inning.
After giving up a leadoff double to Howie Kendrick in the eighth, Chris Rusin retired the next two batters faced. Seager drew a walk to keep the inning alive, and it paid off as Turner followed with a two-run double.
Grandal hit a solo home run in the ninth but that was all the Dodgers got, as they fell to the Rockies, 7-3.
