Tovar hits 3-run double to spark the Rockies past the Dodgers, 9-8
Colorado Rockies' Nolan Jones watches the flight of his walkoff solo home run off San Diego Padres relief pitcher Brent Honeywell in the ninth inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 11, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
By MICHAEL KELLY Associated Press
DENVER (AP) — Ezequiel Tovar hit a three-run double in a five-run sixth inning to rally the Colorado Rockies over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 9-8 on Wednesday night.
The rookie shortstop also singled in extending his hitting streak to 11 games.
Jake Bird (2-1) pitched an inning and Justin Lawrence got four outs for his fifth save for Colorado on a night when pitchers struggled with control. The Rockies allowed eight walks and the Dodgers walked five.
Mookie Betts homered and Yonny Hernández drove in three runs for Los Angeles.
Micahel Grove was in line for the win after pitching five innings, but Colorado rallied in the sixth. Victor González (2-3) loaded the bases with one out, Nick Robertson walked in a run and Tovar lined a double to the wall in center to drive in three. He then scored on Elías Díaz’s single.
The Dodgers scored twice in the eighth, with Lawrence striking out J.D. Martinez with the bases loaded to end the inning.
Los Angeles trailed 4-0 after three innings but three walks by Kyle Freeland, a two-run single by Hernández and Betts’ 20th homer, a three-run shot to left, put the Dodgers ahead 6-4.
Freeland walked five and struck out seven in five innings.
KERSHAW FEELING FINE
Roberts said Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw went through his normal routine and is slotted to make his next scheduled start despite saying he “just didn’t feel right” in his last inning of work Tuesday night. Kershaw lost a no-hit bid with two outs in the sixth and was relieved in the seventh despite throwing 79 pitches.
“I thought he was good (Wednesday), moving around well, and that’s where I want to leave it,” Roberts said. “It’s not his back. Obviously when you’re talking about Clayton things get a little bit more dire.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: RHP Daniel Hudson is scheduled to join the team in Kansas City on Friday, manager Dave Roberts said. Hudson has been out a year after tearing the ACL in his left knee last June.
Rockies: RHP Nick Mears was placed on the 15-day injured list because of a left oblique strain. Mears left Tuesday’s game in the eighth after an inning and two pitches. RHP Gavin Hollowell was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to fill Mears’ roster spot.
UP NEXT
Los Angeles RHP Emmet Sheehan (1-0, 1.50 ERA) was set to start Thursday against Chase Anderson (0-2, 5.79) in the series finale.
