Colorado Snaps Dodgers Six-Game Streak; Volquez No Es Bueno

Dodgers 5 11 1

Rockies 7 11 2

WP- De La Rosa (16-6)

LP- Volquez (9-11)

S- Brothers (15)

HR- Helton (12)

The Dodgers, with a comfortable 13 1/2 game lead over the D-backs in the N.L. West going into Wednesday’s game with Colorado, essentially fielded a split squad lineup for game three. Thankfully this was the final game they will play in Curse.. er I mean Coors Field. The Dodgers opted to start Edinson Volquez in order to gauge whether Rick Honeycutt had made any progress with his pitching mechanics issues. Apparently, Volquez still has a lot to work on after he served up 4 runs on 6 hits in 4 innings of work. Volquez had said that he thought he had been tipping his pitches, but his control and wildness is still a big factor in his struggles. He did commit a wild pitch, but interestingly enough he didn’t walk anybody. Perhaps that is a good sign? I’m trying to find a good point here, but Volquez’s awfulness makes it real difficult. I would have rather seen the Dodgers give a start to a prospect pitcher if they were to sacrifice this game anyways, but it seems like they have some plan for Volquez which is beyond me.

We felt the same way, Hanley. Photo: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

It was a typical wild Coors Field game, and the Rockies scored in each of the first three innings off of Volquez and then again (3 runs) in the seventh off of an equally terrible Carlos Marmol. The Dodgers should really consider abandoning their plans with these atrocious pitchers A.S.A.P. Are they actually considering adding Carlos Marmol, Edinson Volquez, or Brandon League to the postseason roster? I pray not.

The Dodgers offense somehow managed five runs even though Adrian Gonzalez, Andre Ethier, Yasiel Puig, nor Carl Crawford were in the starting lineup. Hanley Ramirez had two hits, Uribe had a RBI double in the eighth inning, and Michael Young collected three hits and 2 RBIs on the night. Even though the Dodgers scored three runs in the eighth inning, the offense just couldn’t overcome the second string starting lineup nor the Volquez and Marmol awfulness. Jorge De La Rosa picked up the win, and even though Colorado’s Belisle served up three runs the other Colorado relief pitchers pretty much kept the Dodgers in check.

It was a sloppy game all around, and the Dodgers committed an error, a passed ball by A.J., a balk, and three wild pitches. The Rockies also committed a pair of blunders and a wild pitch. You probably would like to forget about this one, but if you are a glutton for punishment read on.

 The Dodgers jump out ahead in the top of the first despite fielding a second string lineup. Jerry Hairston Jr. leads off with a single to left field. Nick Punto grounds out to third which allows JHair to move over to second. Hanley Ramirez flies out. Michael Young, the newest Dodger, singles in Jerry Hairston to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead! That’s Young’s first RBI as a Dodger. Jorge De La Rosa then strikes out Scott Van Slyke to end the frame.

Edinson Volquez goes to the mound for the first time wearing Dodger Blue. Volquez strikes out Dexter Fowler which seems like a great start, but then he promptly serves up a triple to the gap to Josh Rutledge. Then Troy Tulowitzki follows with a double off the left field wall, and just like that the Rockies tie it up. With Michael Cuddyer at the plate, Volquez uncorks the first of many wild pitches he will make as a Dodger, and Tulo takes third. Cuddyer then collects the RBI on a sacrifice fly, and the Rockies take a 2-1 lead. The third out comes on a groundball to Juan Uribe hit by Wilin Rosario.

De La Rosa sends the Dodgers down in order in the top of the second.

Todd Helton opens the home half of the second inning with a solo homerun. Rockies lead 3-1. Volquez is

Jorge De La Rosa wins his 16th game. Photo: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

looking real bad. Nolan Arenado singles on a line drive to right. Charlie Blackmon flies out. De La Rosa lays down a sacrifice bunt, and Arenado advances to second. Fowler goes down on strikes for a second time, but the Rockies tack on another run thanks to the Helton bomb.

The Dodgers go down again 1-2-3 against De La Rosa in the third.

Then there are more atrocities in the bottom of the third. Josh Rutledge singles for his second hit of the day. With Tulowitzki at bat, A.J. Ellis can’t hold on to a Volquez pitch which runs away from him for a passed ball. Rutledge advances to second. Tulo is safe on a fielder’s choice on a blown call by the umpire. Rutledge is caught in a rundown between second and third, and Uribe runs after him and swipes him on the back. The umpire doesn’t see the tag and calls him safe. Cuddyer singles which brings in Rutledge for the fourth Colorado run. Rosario strikes out, and Helton flies out. Arenado flies out to mercifully end the inning. The Rockies have now scored in each of the first three innings at least once.

Other than a throwing error by Nolan Arenado which gifts Scott Van Slyke with a base, the Dodgers can’t muster anything against De La Rosa who strikes out both Young and A.J. in the fourth.

For the first time in the game, Volquez pitches a scoreless frame as the Rockies go down in order in the bottom half of the fourth.

Juan Uribe draws a lead-off walk in the fifth, but Skip Schumaker grounds into a double play. Tim Federowicz comes in to pinch-hit for Volquez. FedEx singles coming off the bench. JHair flies out to end the inning,

Edinson Volquez pitched 4 innings and allowed 4 runs on 6 hits with 4 strikeouts and no walks on 75 pitches.

Brandon League comes out of the bullpen to pitch the bottom of the fifth for the Dodgers. Young makes a nice play to feed League to get Rutledge out at first just in time as League foot races Josh to the bag. Tulo grounds out. Cuddyer singles. Then there is two consecutive wild pitches by League with Rosario at the plate, and Cuddyer moves over to third. Rosario flies out, and somehow League escapes with a scoreless inning.

Is there any hope for Edinson Volquez?Photo: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers are singling like silly in the sixth. Punto, Ramirez, and Young all hit consecutive singles to load the bases up. Then SVS grounds into a ground play, but a run does score. 4-2 Rockies. A.J. Ellis grounds out to end the inning. A.J. is really slumping now, and the backstop’s batting average has plummeted to .242.

J.P. Howell will pitch the bottom of the sixth. He strikes out the pesky Helton. DJ LeMahieu is essentially struck out twice. The first time he is called out on strikes the first base ump says he foul tipped the third strikes. A.J. Ellis is furious, and Mattingly goes out to briefly argue. Howell comes back to strike him out anyways as he turns a big swing. Blackmon strikes out, and Howell strikes out the side.

In the seventh, Adam Ottavino comes on and allows a lead-off single to Uribe and a walk to Schumaker. Adrian Gonzalez will come off the bench to pinch-hit which promptly triggers a pitching change by Colorado. Josh Outman will come out of the Rockies bullpen to pitch to Gonzo with two on and nobody out. Outman strikes out Gonzalez on four pitches. The Rockies will make another pitching change. Wilton Lopez will come in to face JHair. JHair grounds into a force out as LeMahieu makes a nice play to get Schumaker out at second. Uribe moves over to third on the play. Punto also grounds into a force, and the inning is over.

Jorge De La Rosa allowed 2 runs on 6 hits through 6 innings with 4 strikeouts and one walk on 95 pitches.

In the bottom of the seventh, Carlos Marmol will be the fourth Dodger pitcher for the night. Corey Dickerson, Fowler, and Rutledge hit consecutive singles. Dickerson brings in the fifth CO run. With Tulo batting, Rutledge steals second. Then two runs come in on a sacrifice fly by Tulo and a throwing error charged to Schumaker. Skip makes a nice catch on the ball hit by Tulo, but then makes an errant throw home which A.J. can’t handle of course. It’s now 6-2. Cuddyer is intentionally walked. Then with Rosario batting, Marmol balks. Another run scores. 7-2. Marmol ends up striking out Rosario and Helton but not before three runs score.

Matt Belisle will pitch the eighth for the Rockies. Hanley Ramirez leads off with a single. Hanley moves to

Carlos Marmol melts down in the seventh inning. Photo: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

second on yet another wild pitch. Young drives in another run with a single, 7-3 now. Andre Ethier flies out. Rutledge commits an error by booting a ball hit by A.J. Ellis. Everyone is safe. Juan Uribe doubles to the gap, and another run comes in! 7-4. Schumaker singles to center field, and A.J. scores! 7-5. The Rockies will have to go to their pen again. Manny Corpas will pitch to Carl Crawford. Crawford strikes out swinging. Yasiel Puig will pinch-hit, and this is the first time he’s played in since Monday after straining his knee. Puig strikes out. The Dodgers score thrice, but they still trail by two.

The Coors Field batting practice continues into the bottom the eighth as LeMahieu leads off with a single off of Paco Rodriguez. Blackmon strikes out swinging. Charlie Culberson grounds into a force play. Don Mattingly will go the pen yet again (got to love these expanded rosters), and he brings in Brian Wilson to pitch to Fowler. Fowler grounds out to Punto, and we head to the ninth.

Rex Brothers will try to shut down the Dodgers and snap their six-game winning streak in the top of the ninth. Punto leads off the ninth with a walk. Hanley Ramirez hits a deep fly ball to left field, but CarGo is there to snag it. That was the last chance for the Dodgers. Young hits into the game ending double play, and the Dodgers fall 7-5.

The Dodgers are now 83-56 on the season, and they lose a game in the division since the D-backs won (12 1/2 games ahead). Tomorrow the Dodgers will rest and leave for Cincinnati where they will begin a three-game set against the Reds at the Great American Ballpark on Friday. We learned before the game that Hyun-jin Ryu is suffering some mid-back stiffness, so Chris Capuano will start in his place on Friday.