Steve Webb
161-1? The Dodgers, after dropping a sloppy and error-filled Opening Day, made darn sure it wasn’t going to happen two days in a row. Backing up a dominant debut pitching performance by Trevor Bauer, the Dodgers took a big lead early and were able to hold off a vicious Rockies comeback to win 11-6 Saturday night.
The Dodgers scored early and often in this one. They swung at practically everything that Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela got near the plate, peppering line drives to all fields in the early innings. Each of the first six Dodger hitters tattooed the ball. Even the outs were scorched. Max Muncy and Will Smith both singled home runs in the first inning, and the Dodgers were off to the races. In the following frame, Mookie Betts, Corey Seager and Justin Turner hit consecutive two out doubles to put the Dodgers up 4-0.
By the time Senzatela was finally chased in the 4th inning, it was 6-0. Jhoulys Chacin was able to put out the fire in that inning, but the Dodgers weren’t finished. Gavin Lux plated Will Smith in the next frame with a triple. The game was well in hand, to say the least. Or was it?
And what about that Trevor Bauer character anyway? Well, he looked worth every penny over six innings of shutout ball. Early on, he got some assistance in the field with some stellar play from both Gavin Lux and Cody Bellinger, but once he settled in, he was rolling. In fact he had a no hitter working through six innings. Masterfully mixing his pitches, Bauer struck out 10 for his evening’s work, and even rolled out the Conor McGregor strut a couple of times.
It wasn’t until Trevor Story hit a sharp single into left field in bottom of the 7th that the no-no was busted up. And then the wheels came off the apple cart a bit. Charlie Blackmon followed Story with a home run over the right field fence, and just like that the shutout was gone as well. Before Bauer’s night was done, Ryan McMahon added a two-run bomb as well. So Bauer’s line ended up being much less impressive than it could have been: 6.1 IP, 3 H, 4 ER.
David Price also made his Dodger debut, relieving Bauer tonight, and well, that was MUCH less impressive. The first two hitters both went yard on him and he struggled to get out of the 7th. Luckily, by the end of the Coors-induced meltdown in that inning, the game was still out of reach, and the Dodgers were able to cruise through the final two innings to victory, thanks to an insurance run in the 8th inning.
And then there was a cat. Don’t ask.
Victor Gonzalez pitched the ninth to wrap up the win. Though he struggled to find the strike zone to his first batter, he got some help when catcher Dom Nunez grounded ball four to first. After that, Gonzalez was able to mop things up without further damage.
In the end, the Dodgers offense was just overwhelming tonight. 16 hits, 8-18 with runners in scoring position, and not a homerun in sight. Not too shabby. There we go. One of many W’s. Game three of the series is Saturday at 5:10 pm. Walker Buehler vs. Jon Gray.
