Steve Webb
Game 161, 9/28/2024: Dodgers 13, Rockies 2
DENVER, CO — With the #1 seed in the postseason secured earlier in the day, there was little drama in Coors Field except in what happened to the team’s two superlative Japanese superstars. Two questions remained: Would Yoshinobu Yamamoto look good as he gets in his last outing before the postseason? And, would Shohei get enough hits to inch closer to a triple crown. The answer to both is a qualified yes. As for the game, the Rockies pitchers basically threw batting practice to the Dodgers, who pounded out 18 hits en route to a convincing 13-2 victory. This team is ready for October.
Yamamoto continued his stellar stretch on the mound, delivering another good outing coming off the IL. The Japanese right-hander put together a solid performance, giving up just two runs over five innings while striking out six. The first run was kind of bogus, a sacrifice fly to score Charlie Blackmon, who should have been rung up on strikes by home plate umpire Ryan Willis. The second, a no-doubt homer off the bat of Ezequiel Tovar, who seems to own Yoshi this season. Other than that, Yamamoto’s control and ability to navigate through an admittedly weak Rockies lineup helped the Dodgers secure their 97th win of the season.
Yamamoto was efficient throughout the outing, throwing 71 pitches, 49 of which were strikes. His only major mistake came in the third inning when Tovar took him deep for a solo home run. Despite that, Yamamoto kept the Rockies in check, allowing only six hits and no walks. This win improved his record to 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA, cementing his role as a key arm for the Dodgers as they head into the postseason. Likely, he’ll be a Game 2 starter for the Dodgers with Jack Flaherty getting the ball in Game 1, but that might depend on matchups, and the Dodgers still have no idea who they’ll be facing. Somebody will be playing the Padres next week, with the winning team getting the privilege of coming into Dodger Stadium to face the team with baseball’s best record.
Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani contributed at the plate as he continues his quest for the National League batting title and the elusive Triple Crown. Ohtani went 2-for-5, raising his average to .310, and stole his 58th base of the season. Although he didn’t drive in any runs, Ohtani’s presence in the lineup remains a force, and every hit counts as he chases Luis Arraez of the Padres, who currently leads the league in batting average with a mark of .314. Arraez sat out the game on Saturday (coward!), so the task ahead of Shohei will be daunting. Most like outcome is he falls a little short.
Ohtani’s performance was solid, but not spectacular, as he works toward becoming the first player to win the Triple Crown in the National League since the 1930s. With just one game left in the regular season, Ohtani will need a HUUUUGE day at the plate and a little help from Arraez cooling down to make history. His consistent hitting and base-stealing ability have kept him in the conversation for both the MVP and the batting title.
In addition to Yamamoto’s strong start, the Dodgers’ offense exploded for 18 hits. Kiké Hernández had a standout night, going 3-for-5 with a three-run homer in the second inning that set the tone for the game. Teoscar Hernández also homered, driving in three more runs in the fifth inning, while Gavin Lux and Will Smith contributed key hits that pushed the game out of reach.
Max Muncy added two doubles and two RBIs, and Chris Taylor had three hits of his own as the Dodgers capitalized on Rockies’ pitching, which struggled throughout the game. Colorado’s starter, Antonio Senzatela, lasted just 4.1 innings, giving up six earned runs on six hits, including Hernández’s early homer.
The Dodgers’ bullpen was all Justin Wrobleski in this one, but Wrobo was equally impressive. He threw four scoreless innings in relief of Yamamoto, striking out four and picking up his first save of the season. He kept the Rockies’ bats quiet, allowing just two hits and walking two batters. Nice to see good work out of Wrobleski as he continues to put that blowup in Arizona in the rearview mirror.
With nothing left to play for, it will be a decidedly low-stress final game of the season this year. Like every year for a while now, each game on the schedule will begin at the same time, 12:00 PDT. I thought maybe Justin Wrobleski would get the start in the finale, but as he threw four innings on Saturday, that’s not happening. We’ll see what Doc and Mark Prior cook up for the last game. Probably anyone in the pen who wants an inning of work will get one, and then they’ll back fill with some rookies. We shall see. The Rockies are going to throw righty Ryan Feltner (3-10, 4.66 ERA, 135 SO) to wrap up the season. And then we sit around to see exactly who this remarkable team will face in the NLDS. Interesting times, Dodgers fans, interesting times. Keep Dodgersbeat and the Bleed Los podcast closeby and we’ll keep you informed through the entire postseason!
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