Steve Webb
April 14, 2021: the day the nachos died. There wasn’t much offense by the Dodgers at the stadium tonight, but what they did get was enough to hold the light-hitting Colorado Rockies at bay and come away with a 4-2 win. And in maybe the first viral moment of the Dodgers’ young season, hot hitting Justin Turner homered directly into a (un?)lucky fan’s snacks. More on that later. But first, to the game…
As has been their habit of late, the Dodgers got right to work in the first inning. After starter Dustin May made short work of the Rox in the first half of the inning, Mookie Betts met starter Jon Gray with a line drive single to left. Max Muncy walked, bringing to the plate Justin Turner with ducks on the pond. Turner, who is off to a torrid start, locked in on a 3-2 pitch and ripped a run-scoring single to center. Gavin Lux followed with a sacrifice fly and just like that it was 2-0.
JT was at it again in the home half of the third. In a play destined for Dodgers lore for years to come, Turner ripped a pitch toward the center field seats. Rox center fielder Sam Hilliard went back on the play, and it looked like he might have a chance to rob a home run until the ball landed. . . directly in a fan’s nachos in the first row. Cheese flew everywhere! Turner circled the bases! Mass hysteria! After a replay review determined that the ball had indeed cleared the fence and landed directly in the man’s snack, Turner was awarded the home run. 3-0 Dodgers.
May seemed to be cruising in the early innings, only surrendering a couple of singles through the first four innings of work. In the Rockies half of the fifth, however, the visitors managed to scratch across a run on a single, a bunt single, a walk, and an RBI single from Trevor Story. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to chase May before he was eligible for a win. Reliever Victor Gonzalez surrendered another run on a fielder’s choice, but the Dodgers were able to escape without any more damage.
Gonzalez, Blake Treinen, and Scott Alexander were able to navigate the middle innings without giving up another run. After wasting a scoring chance of their own in the 8th, Corey Knebel was the next man out of the Dodgers’ bullpen. He entered the outing still clinging to a 0.00 ERA. On just a handful of pitches, Knebel was able to down the Rox in order, keeping his odometer on zeros and sending the game into the 9th inning.
With only a run separating them from the visitors, the Dodgers entered the final frame in need of some insurance. Zach McKinstry anyone? The rookie decided that now would be a good time to go yard, which he promptly did against Rockies closer Daniel Bard.
Though the Dodger would not score again in the frame, the inning did see Luke Raley score his first big league hit, a solid double into left field. Kenley Jansen entered the game with that key extra run to play with in the top of the 9th inning.
Jansen, who had been lights out in his last outing, promptly walked the lead-off, making that insurance run even more important. But then, Kenley decided it was time to man up. He struck out the next the hitters, the final out coming on a chase by Raimel Tapia, which turned into a put-out at first for Austin Barnes.
Now 10-2, the Dodgers try to wrap up a perfect 6-0 homestand against the Rockies tomorrow night. Julio Urias is slated to toe the rubber. Game time 7:10 pm. And by the way, the dude with the nacho shower? Justin Turner bought him a new order, and the Dodgers rewarded his sacrifice with a free hoodie.
So he’s got that working for him.
