Dodgers Snap Colorado’s Winning Streak with Ryu Gem and Dee’s Round-Trip Triple

The Dodgers took the field on a somber night after we learned that Tony Gwynn passed away. Vin Scully’s tribute before the game was touching and beautifully spoken. Tony Gwynn was one of those players which you have to love whether they are wearing Dodger Blue or not. Mr. Padre was a favorite player of mine as a child, and he was one of the few in which I admired (along with Kirby Puckett and Ken Griffey, Jr.) not in a Dodgers uniform. He passed away far too young, but he will continue to inspire with his baseball legacy and his stunning smile

Tony Gwynn would have loved to watch Dee Gordon round all the bases with a scoring triple which ignited the crowd and the dugout. The Dodgers

Jun 16, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA;Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Dee Gordon (9) sprints for third base and then scores on a single by Hanley Ramirez (not pictured) in the sixth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

had a rare offensive explosion at home and came up with 15 hits against weak Colorado pitching. The rookie Tyler Matzek was roughed up by the Dodger hitters, and he failed to strike out even one batter in his second start in the Majors which became his first Major League loss.

Hyun-jin Ryu pitched great once again, and his only mistake was a fastball to Wilin Rosario in the fourth inning. That solo homerun was the Rockies’ only run against the Dodger pitchers. League, Howell, Wilson and Wright all pitched scoreless outings.

The Rockies five-game winning streak came to an end on Monday night at Dodger Stadium. Dee Gordon went 4-for-4 with 3 singles and an incredible round-trip triple. That was Gordon’s third 4-hit game of his career. Gordon is the spark plug, but the rest of the Dodgers lineup contributed as well. Puig had three hits, Kemp had 2 hits and drove in 2 runs, and A.J. Ellis got back into the thick of things with two hits and a RBI of his own. The game played out like it was meant to. Good defense, excellent pitching, and some offense combined for a great home win for the Dodgers.

Dodgers 6 15 0

Rockies 1 4 3

WP- Ryu (8-3)

LP- Matzek (1-1)

HR- Rosario (7)

Hyun-jin Ryu allows a one-out walk to Brandon Barnes in the top of the first, but he comes back to strike out Troy Tulowitzki thereafter. Justin Morneau hits a ground-rule double which bounces over the right-center field wall. The Dodgers get a break, and Barnes has to stop at third. Drew Stubbs is called out on strikes, and the ground-rule double bails out the Dodgers!

Dee Gordon lines a single over the head and off the glove of Tulo to lead-off the bottom of the first. Wit Hanley Ramirez at the plate, Dee Gordon is thrown out by Wilin Rosario attempting to steal second. Tulo snares a blazing liner by Hanley for the second out. Yasiel Puig pops out to shallow center field to end the inning.

Rosario then proceeds to double to left field to start off the top of the second inning for the Rox. Josh Rutledge strikes out swinging versus Ryu. Charlie Culberson hits a comebacker, and Ryu throws to Van Slyke at first for the out. Tyler Matzek strikes out, and the Rockies fail to cash in the lead-off double.

Scott Van Slyke hits a booming double off the left field wall with one out in the bottom of the second. Van Slyke advances to third on a groundout by Andre Ethier. Meanwhile, in the dugout, Hanley Ramirez’s shoulders are being stretched by Stan Conte. A.J. Ellis draws a walk. Miguel Rojas hits a deep fly ball to left, but Charlie Blackmon is there to take care of it and end the threat.

Ryu sets the Rockies down 1-2-3 in the third.

Dee Gordon lights up the base path and comes all the way around to score on a triple into the left field corner which bounces around and gets away

Jun 16, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu (99) throws in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

from Blackmon for an error. Watching Dee fly around the base path was something to be seen! Dodgers lead 1-0. The rookie southpaw Matzek is flustered now, and he walks Hanley in the next at-bat. Puig drills a hopper to left field for a single. Matt Kemp lines a single to left field, and Hanley scores. Puig slides into third violently while Kemp takes second on the bad throw and second error of the inning for Blackmon. Puig is shaken up, and the medical staff goes out to check him. Dodgers now lead 2-0. SVS softly loops a ball to third. Ethier hits a little roller to the mound to end the inning.

Wilin Rosario gets the Rockies back into the game with a solo homerun and his second hit of the game off Ryu in the top of the fourth with two outs. It’s now 2-1 Dodgers.

Puig is noticeably limping and retreats to the clubhouse with Conte in the middle of the fourth inning. Looks like he tweaked something on that belly flopping slide in the third. A.J. Ellis leads off the bottom of the fourth with a single to center field. Rojas pops out. Ryu lays down a successful sacrifice bunt to move A.J. to second. Gordon then has another great at-bat, and with two strikes he singles to second after the throw by Rutledge pulls Morneau away from the bag at first. Ellis moves over to third, but Hanley grounds into a force out to strand more runners. The Dodgers have left six men on base over four frames.

Ryu retires the side in order in the top of the fifth.

The Dodgers tack on another run against Matzek in the bottom of the fifth. Yasiel Puig collects an infield single to third to lead-off the inning. Kemp and SVS both line out. Ethier singles to right, and Puig moves to third. A.J. Ellis then knocks in a run with a RBI single, and the Dodgers lead 3-1.

Ryu is smoothly sailing through the sixth. He pitches a 1-2-3 inning with a little help from Matt Kemp who robs Morneau of a base hit with a sliding catch in left field.

Hyun-jin Ryu pitched 6 innings and only allowed 1 run on 3 hits with 6 strikeouts and a walk on 105 pitches.

Tyler Matzek pitched 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 10 hits with no strikeouts and 2 walks on 92 pitches.

Both pitchers are out the game by the bottom of the sixth inning. Colorado brings in right-hander Chris Martin will relieve Matzek out of the bullpen. Jamie Romak is pinch-hitting for Hyun-jin Ryu who pitched another great game. Romak strikes out of course. Dee Gordon goes 4-for-4 with a single to center field to lead-off the inning. Then Martin is called for a balk, and Gordon is awarded second base. Then on a beautiful hit-and-run play, Hanley singles home Gordon who had a great jump. The Dodgers take a 4-1 lead. Puig strikes out. Kemp adds to the rally as he doubles off the center field wall, and Hanley easily scores. Nice hit! Dodgers lead 5-1.

Brandon League will take over for Ryu in the seventh. Drew Stubbs continues to struggle as he strikes out for the second time in the game. Rosario is finally retired as League induces a strike out from him. Rutledge gets a two-out single to right. Charlie Culberson grounds out to third to end the frame.

Matt Belisle is the next pitcher for Colorado in the bottom of the seventh, and he sends the Dodgers down in order as Ethier, Ellis, and Rojas all are

retired consecutively.

Mattingly brings in J.P. Howell in the eighth to face the pinch-hitter Kyle Parker who strikes out against Howell. Blackmon pops out to Rojas in

Jun 16, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Matt Kemp singles in the third inning and drives in teammate Hanley Ramirez (not pictured) in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

foul territory who forgets how many outs there are and flips the ball into the stands. Mattingly will bring in Wilson who strikes out Barnes to end the inning.

Nick Masset is in for the bottom of the eighth. Carlos Triunfel collects his first Major League hit, a single to center to lead-off the inning. Gordon walks, and his night is perfect with 4 hits, 2 runs, and a walk. HanRam pops out to center. Puig goes 3-for-5 as he singles off the glove of Culberson as Triunfel brings in the sixth Dodger run of the game. Gordon advances to third on a throwing error by Tulo. With Matt Kemp at-bat, a passed ball by Rosario allows Puig to move over to second. Kemp strikes out. SVS strikes out, and the Dodgers have stranded 11 runners tonight.

Jamey Wright will take the ball in the ninth. Tulo is shut down as he grounds out to second. Morneau flies out to center. Stubbs grounds out to short, and the Dodgers win!

The Dodgers improve to 38-34 and are now 6 games behind San Francisco in the standings. Zack Greinke will counter Jhoulys Chacin in Game 2 for which you can find Dodger tickets here!