The Los Angeles Dodgers’ matchup with the Colorado Rockies on Saturday came after the annual Old-Timers Game, which honored 1981 World Series tri-MVPs Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero and Steve Sax. Roughly an hour after several Dodgers legends were on the field, the current team looked to extend their home winning streak.
Scott Kazmir got off to an ominous start as he hit Charlie Blackmon with a pitch on a 2-2 count after getting ahead 0-2. Compacting matters, the ball deflected off Blackmon’s elbow and struck A.J. Ellis on his throwing hand.
Ellis needed a few minutes to gather himself and was checked on by athletic trainer Nate Lucero before remaining in the game. Kazmir picked up consecutive strikeouts, though Blackmon did steal second base when Nolan Arenado went down swinging.
Blackmon was stranded as Carlos Gonzalez grounded out to end the inning. Corey Seager extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a one-out single in the bottom of the first.
Arenado couldn’t come up with a diving stop on Justin Turner’s sharp grounder, resulting in an infield single. Adrian Gonzalez then found a hole up the middle, with his RBI single giving the Dodgers an early lead.
Chad Bettis’ trouble continued as Yasiel Puig followed with a chopper that carried into center field for an RBI single. Kazmir picked up one strikeout in each of the second and third innings as he retired the Rockies in order both times.
Ryan Raburn came up empty on a diving catch attempt in the bottom of the third, resulting in a one-out double for Turner. After Gonzalez drew a walk, Puig advanced both runners with a grounder to the right side of the infield. Trayce Thompson worked a strong at-bat that ended in a two-run double.
Kazmir lost his bid for a no-hitter on a DJ LeMahieu leadoff single in the fourth inning. Arenado struck out a second time on the night and Carlos Gonzalez got under a pitch, lifting a high fly ball to the warning track in right field. Raburn then fouled out to finish another scoreless inning.
Kazmir allowed a double to Cristhian Adames in the fifth but otherwise struck out the side to keep the Dodgers’ 4-0 lead intact. Colorado managed another one-out double in the sixth, only for Arenado to strikeout swinging a third time, and Gonzalez to get called out on strikes.
Kazmir exited after six shutout innings with 10 strikeouts on 100 pitches. Puig was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the sixth to give the Dodgers their first baserunner since the third inning. However, Los Angeles wasn’t able to capitalize on having the leadoff man reach.
Casey Fien retired the Rockies in order in the seventh. The Dodgers then loaded the bases with one out in bottom half of the inning on a Kendrick double, Seager walk and Turner base hit. Gonzalez’s sacrifice fly scored a run and another came across on a Justin Miller wild pitch.
J.P. Howell worked around a two-out Blackmon single in the eighth to keep the Rockies off the board. A Thompson infield single and Van Slyke base hit gave the Dodgers runners on first and second with none out in the bottom half of the inning.
Kendrick drew a walk with two outs to load the bases for Seager, who struck out swinging. Chris Hatcher came on in the ninth and gave up a solo home run to Arenado before wrapping up the Dodgers’ 6-1 victory.
Coupled with the San Francisco Giants losing to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles pulled to within five games of first place in the National League West.
