Dodgers Even Series With Rockies Behind Solid Maholm Start

Dodgers 6 12  0

Rockies 3 7 0

WP- Maholm (1-2)

LP- Nicasio (2-1)

S- Jansen (9)

HR- Kemp (4), A. Gonzalez (8)

The Dodgers evened up the series against the Rockies on Saturday evening at Dodger Stadium thanks to a solid seven inning start and win by Paul Maholm and a shaky start from opposing pitcher Juan Nicasio. The Dodgers have not made an error in 24 innings now. Although Kemp lost focus a couple of times out in center field, and Yasiel Puig continues to lead the Majors in TOOTBLANS, the Dodgers’ offense was able to propel them to victory.

April 26, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp (27) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Matt Kemp blasted a surprising homerun in a three-run third inning for the Dodgers which began with an exciting Dee Gordon triple and RBI groundout by Hanley Ramirez. Gonzo’s sacrifice fly brings in Puig who had been plunked with a pitch earlier in the inning. The Dodgers plated another run in the fourth on a Puig RBI single. Adrian Gonzalez smashed his eighth homerun of the season in the fifth, and a ground-rule double by Puig in the eighth gave the Dodgers their fifth run of the night.

Paul Maholm pitched very well and lasted seven innings before the bewildered bullpen took over. Chris Withrow had a very rough 30-pitch eighth inning, but the Rockies’ two best hitters, CarGo and Tulo failed with the bases loaded. Brian Wilson walked the first two batters of the ninth inning, but luckily Mattingly had a short leash and brought in Jansen who collected his ninth save of the year.

Unfortunately the Dodgers lost Hanley Ramirez for an unknown amount of time after he bruised his right thumb on a swing.

Paul Maholm opens the first inning by striking out Brandon Barnes. Then he turns around and walks Nolan Arenado. Carlos Gonzalez hits into a 5-4-3- double play to end the inning.

Hanley Ramirez is really heating up now, and he doubles off the base of the right center field wall with two outs in the home half of first. Juan Nicasio induces a pop out from Adrian Gonzalez to end the inning.

Maholm retires Troy Tulowitzki, Wilin Rosario, and Justin Morneau in order in the top of the second.

Matt Kemp chops a double just fair down the left field line to lead-off the bottom of the second. Andre Ethier strikes out swinging and looks a bit defeated in that at-bat. With Justin Turner in the batter’s box, Matt Kemp steals third while Rosario drops the ball. Nicasio walks Turner. Drew Butera strikes out swinging. Maholm strikes out, and the Dodgers strand Kemp at third.

DJ LeMahieu singles to center with one out in the third. Nicasio lays down a successful sacrifice bunt, and LeMahieu moves over to

April 26, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez (13) hits an RBI single in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

second. Barnes dunks a RBI single to right center field, and the Rockies jump ahead 1-0. Don Mattingly challenges a pickoff attempt of Barnes at first, and after the umpires review the play he’s called out which ends the inning. For once, a reviewed play goes in the favor of the Dodgers. The Dodgers are now 1-for-3 on replay challenges this season.

Dee Gordon golfs a lead-off triple to center field to begin the bottom of the third. Nicasio nails Puig with a pitch on the left elbow, and the Dodgers have runners and first and third with nobody out. The Dodgers get on the board as Gordon comes home on a Hanley grounder. Puig keeps going past second, and slides head first into third on the play! It’s all tied up 1-1. Hanley is shown in the dugout grimacing in pain and shaking his hand. The Dodgers take a 2-1 lead as Puig tags up and scores on a sacrifice fly by Adrian Gonzalez. Then the Dodgers add another run on a solo Bison Blast by Matt Kemp to center. Brandon Barnes climbs the ladder, and at first I thought he caught it. The ball just clears the wall!  Meanwhile, Hanley is getting treatment on what appears to be his right thumb. Ethier flares a single to left field which just does hug the line. Turner flies out to right to end the frame, but the Dodgers plate three runs.

Hanley Ramirez has to come out of the game before the fourth inning commences. X-rays are negative, and he is day-to-day with a bruised right thumb. Turner moves to shortstop, and Juan Uribe will take over at third. So much for Uribe’s day off. Maholm sends the Rockies down in order.

Nicasio walks Butera to start the bottom of the fourth. Maholm’s sacrifice bunt works, and Butera advances to second. Gordon lines out to center. Puig singles to left field, and CarGo’s throw home is deflected by Arenado which allows Butera to score easily. Puig takes second on the play, and the Dodgers tack on another run, 4-1.

Rosario doubles to right field when Matt Kemp apparently can’t see the ball, and Puig can’t get to it either. Morneau’s fly ball single to center field brings home a run with Rosario, 4-2. Stubbs grounds into a force out, and then Dee Gordon makes a nice smothering play on a groundball by LeMahieu. Dee flips the ball to Turner who then throws to Gonzo for the double play! Wow, Gordon is playing on another level.

April 26, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Colorado Rockies left fielder Carlos Gonzalez (5) is unable to catch the home run hit by Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (23) in the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

In the bottom of the fifth, Adrian Gonzalez goes deep the other way for a solo homerun! The Dodgers now lead 5-2. That’s Adrian’s 1,500 career hit! Kemp strikes out swinging. Ethier comes up with his second base hit of the night, a single to center. That’s going to be all for Nicasio, and Tommy Kahnle will come out of the Colorado bullpen in relief. Turner singles to left. Butera strikes out again, and Maholm grounds out.

Juan Nicasio pitched 4 1/3 inning and allowed 5 runs on 8 hits with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks on 97 pitches.

Arenado and CarGo hit back-to-back singles with two outs in the top of the sixth off Maholm. Tulo grounds out to end the frame.

Tommy Kahnle pitches a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth.

Maholm pitches another nice, perfect inning in the top of the seventh.

Chris Martin, a 27-year old right-hander, will be making his Major League debut for the Rockies in the bottom of the seventh inning. He makes one pitch….and it’s a base hit. Gonzo singles to center. Matt Kemp hits into a force play when Gonzo stops like a deer caught in the headlights between first and second. Ethier draws a walk. Turner grounds into a double play.

Paul Maholm goes out to the mound in the top of the eighth, but once the pinch-hitter Josh Rutledge for the Rockies is announced Mattingly will come out to retrieve his starter. Maholm pitched 7 innings and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits with 3 strikeouts and a walk on 84 pitches. Chris Withrow will take over for Maholm. Withrow gives up the lead-off walk. Puig has to go way back to catch up to a fly ball by Culberson. Barnes draws the second walk issued by Withrow in the inning. That spurs Rick Honeycutt to go out to the mound to talk to Chris. Withrow uncorks a wild pitch, and the runners end up at second and third. Arenado walks- the third walk of the inning. Here comes CarGo with the bases loaded. Withrow rears back and strikes out CarGo! The inning isn’t over yet. Tulo is now up with the bases still loaded. Withrow strikes out Tulo on what looked like ball 3! Withrow threw 30 pitches in the inning.

Matt Belisle will come out of the Rockies bullpen in the bottom of the eighth. Butera strikes out for the third time. Carl Crawford walks. Dee Gordon collects his second hit of the night, a single to center field. Puig’s ground-rule double bounces over the center field wall, and Crawford comes in to score. Dodgers lead 6-2. Uribe flies into a double play as Puig is nailed at third. Gordon comes home, but the umpires say the run does not count. Mattingly runs out to challenge the call, but umps uphold call.

Brian Wilson will come in for the top of the ninth. Wilson walks the lead-off hitter Blackmon. Blackmon takes second on defensive

April 26, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) advances to second in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

indifference while Morneau is at-bat. Then Wilson, who is really struggling, walks Morneau as well. Mattingly hooks Wilson, and he will bring in Kenley Jansen to get the job done. Stubbs chases a pitch and goes down on strikes. Corey Dickerson flares a single to right, and the bases are loaded for the second straight inning. Culberson’s little roller is just beaten out by Jansen who barely gets to first for the out. Blackmon scores, and it’s 6-3. Kenley strikes out Barnes, and the Dodgers win!

Dodgers improve to 14-11. Tomorrow afternoon they finish up the series with the Rockies and the homestand as Hyun-jin Ryu counters Jorge De La Rosa at 1:10 p.m.