Sharp outing by Julio UrÃas backed by a trio of homers as Dodgers sweep Rockies
The Dodgers traded their feast-or-famine offense for a Happy Medium Meal on Tuesday night, combining a solid-but-not-spectacular offense with some stout pitching from Julio UrÃas for a 5-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies before a sellout crowd of 52,290 in Chavez Ravine.
A lineup that produced 31 runs on 33 hits in the team’s three wins and scored two runs on nine hits and went 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position in two losses managed just seven hits and drew five walks Tuesday night.
But three of the hits were home runs, by Will Smith, Jason Heyward and Max Muncy, and that was enough to make a winner out of the efficient and effective UrÃas, who gave up five hits, struck out six and walked none in six shutout innings and escaped a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the third.
“It was nice,†manager Dave Roberts said of the more even-keeled offense. “I wish we could spread some of these runs out, but tonight was good. Guys taking walks, guys hitting the ball out of the park … up and down the lineup, when we do that, we can be pretty tough to beat.â€
Michael Grove was the first pitching prospect to start for the Dodgers this season and delivered mixed results in a 13-4 win over the Colorado Rockies.
UrÃas, sporting a new 86-mph cut-fastball that he broke out in last week’s season-opening win over Arizona, improved to 2-0 with a 1.50 earned-run average and extended his scoreless-innings streak to 10. He threw 87 pitches, 60 for strikes, induced nine swinging strikes and notched two of his whiffs with his cutter.
The Dodgers survived a scary moment in the top of the seventh when Mookie Betts, playing second base in place of the injured Miguel Vargas, ranged into shallow right field for an Alan Trejo popup.
Betts made an over-the-shoulder catch to end the inning but collided with — and flipped over — Heyward, the right fielder. Betts twisted his right ankle and was slow to get up, but he eventually jogged off the field. He doubled to lead off the eighth and scored on Smith’s RBI double for a 5-0 lead.
Will Smith is off to a fantastic start for the Dodgers. While the catcher might come across as boring, his skill and loyalty have him on a path to stardom.
“I’m fine, you know, just a little twisted ankle, so it’s good,†said Betts, who is usually the one charging in from right field on such plays. “I really don’t know what happened. I was going to catch it, I turned around, he was sliding, and by that time it was too late. But I mean, he did what you’re supposed to do. Outfielders are supposed to get down.â€
Betts, who received his 2022 Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Awards before the game, underwent treatment afterward. The Dodgers are off Wednesday, and Betts will be reassessed Thursday in Arizona.
“I’m sure watching it probably looked more scary than actually being in it,†Betts said of the collision. “I kind of laid on the ground, and after I gave it a second, I realized it wasn’t that bad.â€
There was another scare in the ninth when the Rockies scored on doubles by Kris Bryant and Elehuris Montero off reliever Phil Bickford to cut the deficit to 5-1 and Ryan McMahon walked.
Roberts summoned right-hander Evan Phillips, who hit Elias DÃaz with a pitch to load the bases. But Phillips got pinch-hitter Mike Moustakas to hit a sacrifice fly to left and pinch-hitter Charlie Blackmon to ground out to first, ending the game.
Tuesday’s game began much the way Monday’s ended, with Smith crushing a two-run homer to left-center field for a 2-0 lead in the first. Smith, who has three homers and 10 RBIs in five games, capped a 13-hit barrage in Monday’s 13-4 victory with a two-run homer to left in the eighth.
The Rockies loaded the bases with no outs in the third when Ezequiel Tovar and Jurickson Profar singled and Yonathan Daza reached on a bunt single.
But UrÃas slammed the door, striking out Bryant looking and getting C.J. Cron to ground sharply to Muncy, who threw to Betts to start an inning-ending double play.
The Dodgers extended their lead to 4-0 on solo home runs by Heyward in the third inning and Muncy in the fourth.
The Dodgers used a seven-run fifth inning to begin their two-game series against Colorado with a 13-4 win Monday night at blustery Dodger Stadium.
Heyward, the 33-year-old veteran who was released by the Chicago Cubs after hitting .204 with a .556 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 48 games last season, belted his second homer in as many nights, a 112.7-mph laser to right field that was harder than any ball the Dodgers hit last season.
Muncy, who hit .063 (one for 16) with nine strikeouts in his first four games, led off the fourth with a towering 381-foot drive into the right-field seats for his first homer of the season.
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