Steve Webb
CHAVEZ RAVINE, CA — Those of you who were switching back and forth on Monday night between the NCAA final and the Dodger game might have been tempted to turn to the basketball game after the first two batters in the 5th inning were quickly retired. That would have been a mistake. With those two outs, the Dodgers staged one of their most enjoyable rallies they’ve had in a while. The home team sent seven straight hitters around the bases, scoring seven times and taking a lead that they would never relinquish. In the end it was a 13-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies and another solid win for the Boys in Blue.
After Chris Taylor‘s home run staked the Dodgers to an early 2-0 lead, starter Michael Grove had the top of the fifth spiral out of control on him, and before the dust had settled, it was 4-2 Rockies.
That’s when the fateful bottom of the 5th inning came along. After Chris Taylor popped out and Mookie whiffed on three pitches, things didn’t look that promising. However, that’s when the Dodgers went bonkers. A Freddie Freeman double and a pair of walks loaded the bases for J.D. Martinez. The Dodger DH banged a two-run single to right to tie the ball game. James Outman broke the tie with a triple, the first of two three-baggers for the rookie outfielder on the night. Miguel Vargas drove Outman in with an RBI single and Jason Heyward put the cherry on top with his first homer in Dodger Blue, a two-run shot into the right field pavilion. Just like that, it was 9-4 Dodgers, and this one was essentially over.
But the Dodgers weren’t done. Outman and Heyward each drove in runs in the 7th and Will Smith blasted a two-run jack in the 8th to round out the scoring on the night.
Short Hops
- So I guess this means tomorrow’s game will be a 2-1 loss, huh?
- Crazy wind tonight made fielding an adventure.
- Lots of guys with multiple hits tonight, including a three-hit night from Fab Five Freddie Freeman.
- Michael Grove pitched a lot better than the final line might show. He got robbed on a strike three call that could have been a strike-em-out-thow-em-out double play. Instead it was a walk, and the inning snowballed on him.
- Yency Almonte still isn’t quite as nasty as he was last year. He gave up a couple of hits in relief of Grove.
- According to Dave Roberts, Grove had been feeling under the weather before the start, so good on him for even getting out there.
- Alex Vesia faced a batter in a second inning of work, a rarity for him. Phil Bickford bailed him out after he gave up a lead-off single in the 6th.
- Shelby Miller pitched well yet again finishing things up. Maybe he’s onto something.
- Quick two-gamer against Colorado wraps up with another evening game at the Ravine on Tuesday. Julio Urias vs. German Marquez in a battle of Opening Day starters. 7:10 first pitch.
