Final: Dodgers walk-off Rockies in 2-1 win to complete series sweep
The bottom of the Dodgers lineup came through again in the ninth inning.
After manufacturing the game-tying run in the seventh, it was once again the bottom three hitters who set the stage in the ninth inning for the Dodgers 2-1 walk-off win against the Colorado Rockies.
After a perfect ninth inning from Craig Kimbrel kept the score tied, Cody Bellinger hit a leadoff single in the ninth then went to third on a base hit by Gavin Lux.
In the next at-bat, pinch-hitter Will Smith walked to load the bases.
That set up Mookie Betts for a game-winning infield single on a bouncing ball up the middle the Rockies’ five-man infield could not turn into an out.
The Dodgers complete a three-game sweep of the Rockies and are now 52-29.
Final: Dodgers 2, Rockies 1
Dodgers tie the game with run-scoring wild pitch
The Dodgers lost a challenge in the seventh inning.
Yet, they still rallied to tie the game.
Despite failing to get a tag play overturned at second base, leaving them with nobody on and two outs in the inning, the bottom of the Dodgers’ lineup responded.
Cody Bellinger and Gavin Lux hit back-to-back singles. Then, after Rockies starter José Ureña was replaced by reliever Jake Bird, Austin Barnes was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
That brought Mookie Betts to the plate. He fell behind 1-and-2. But then Bird threw a curveball that got past catcher Brian Serven, rolling just far enough away to allow Bellinger to score from third with a head first slide.
Betts grounded out two pitches later to retire the side.
Still, Mitch White is now off the hook for the loss after his 5 2/3 inning, 1 run (which was unearned) start.
End 7th: Tied 1-1
Mitch White loses no-hitter, and gives up first run, on same play in sixth inning
For 99 pitches, Mitch White did not give up a hit.
On pitch No. 100, he gave up a hit — and a run.
After 5 1/3 hitless innings, White walked Kris Bryant with one out in the sixth, his fourth walk of the night.
In the next at-bat, Brendan Rodgers sent a flare to center that dropped in front of Cody Bellinger for the Rockies first hit. Bellinger then threw to third, trying to Bryant, but the one-hopped deflected off Justin Turner and ricocheted over White’s head, backing him up.
The ball went into the camera well, allowing a run to score and the Rockies to take the game’s first lead.
White got one more out before being removed from the game after an MLB career-long 5 2/3 inning start.
He was met with a nice ovation coming off the mound.
Top 6th: Rockies lead 1-0
Mitch White through five hitless innings, but still no score
Mitch White is through five hitless innings for the Dodgers, and is on the verge of making some personal history if he returns to the mound in the sixth.
White has never before taken an MLB start into the sixth inning (although he has pitch 7 1/3 innings of bulk relief once).
Tonight, he appears primed to do so — and perhaps in historic fashion, having still not allowed a hit through five innings.
White has given up three walks, but also has six strikeouts. He’s thrown 83 pitches so far, already his most in a big-league outing this season.
Mid 5th: No score
Mitch White off to sharp start, but no score through two
Mitch White’s latest cameo in the Dodgers starting rotation is off to a good start, with the right-hander through two scoreless and hitless innings on just 31 pitches.
The Dodgers lineup couldn’t produce anything the first time through the order, however.
In the first inning, Trea Turner walked and Freddie Freeman singled but both were left stranded.
In the second, Jake Lamb and Gavin Lux each drew a walk but the Dodgers again couldn’t capitalize.
End 2nd: No score
Ryan Pepiot notches first win as Dodgers again overcome injuries to defeat Rockies
Let’s play build a bullpen. The Dodgers planned on populating theirs at some point with these relievers, veterans all:
Blake Treinen, Daniel Hudson, Caleb Ferguson, Jimmy Nelson, Victor González, Danny Duffy and Tommy Kahnle.
Today they all populate the injured list.
Figure in the three starters out with injuries — Walker Buehler, Dustin May and Andrew Heaney — and it’s flabbergasting that the Dodgers still boast the best pitching in the National League.
By far.
Hernández: Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw deserves the All-Star start
There was no mention of the month Clayton Kershaw spent on the injured list or how he hasn’t pitched a sufficient number of innings to qualify to be on the earned-run average leaderboard.
In the view of Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes, this was a no-brainer: Kershaw should pitch in the All-Star Game.
“I don’t think there’s anybody more deserving to pitch an All-Star Game in Dodger Stadium,” Barnes said.
Baseball can make it happen. Baseball should make it happen.
In fact, National League manager Brian Snitker should take it a step further and designate Kershaw the starter.
Baseball has a chance to manufacture a moment in what is generally an unscripted theater, and what better moment can there be than the 34-year-old Kershaw making his first All-Star start at home in what could be the final season of his Hall of Fame career?