Dodgers slug 7 homers in 16-9 victory over Rockies

Joc Pederson homered leading off the game and added a three-run shot later. It took a gut-busting crash into the wall after a spectacular catch in the fifth inning to finally get him out of the game.

By then, the Dodgers had done most of their damage.

Pederson tied his career high with five RBIs, Gavin Lux scored three runs in his major-league debut, and Los Angeles routed the Colorado Rockies 16-9 Monday night.

The Dodgers slugged seven homers — their 20th game with four or more — and have 245 this season. They pounded out 17 hits, two off their season high.

“It just seemed like a Coors Field game,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “The ball was jumping.”

Pederson sustained an abdominal contusion after catching a sacrifice fly by Charlie Blackmon and crashing into the lower wall in the right-field corner. Pederson’s sunglasses and cap went flying as he hit the wall at stomach-level and rolled backward. He fired the ball toward the infield before ending up on his side, writhing in pain.

“No broken ribs,” Pederson said. “Got the wind knocked out of me. Weird cramp in my obliques. I couldn’t really move my arm. Then it cooled down.”

Roberts jogged out and a member of the medical staff checked on Pederson while security stood over him near the entrance to the Rockies bullpen. He walked off under his own power.

“That was a heck of a play,” Roberts said. “If that ball goes out of the ballpark, we’re looking at a different ballgame.”

Pederson homered leading off the game and added a three-run shot in the third. He had an RBI double in the second.

“I was just seeing the ball really well,” he said.

Starting at second base, Lux made his highly anticipated debut, going 2 for 5 with a single on the first pitch of his first at-bat and a double in his next.

“I was nervous,” Lux said. “After the first ground ball and first at-bat, it was a weight off my shoulders.”

Taken with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 draft, Lux had been sought after by multiple teams as part of larger deals at the July 31 trade deadline but the Dodgers refused to budge and called him up Monday.

“You can just see that aura of confidence,” Roberts said of Lux. “He earned his way here and knocked the wall down.”

Corey Seager added a three-run homer in the sixth, Chris Taylor had a pair of solo shots and Matt Beaty had a solo homer.

Cody Bellinger hit his 44th homer after walking three times and lining out to center in his first four at-bats. He took over the major league lead in homers and moved into third on the Dodgers’ all-time list for homers in a season, five behind leader Shawn Green.

Dodgers starter Walker Buehler (12-3) allowed six runs and eight hits in five innings. The right-hander struck out five and walked none. Kenta Maeda pitched the final four innings to earn his first save.

“Just nothing really working, just didn’t throw many pitches I really liked or liked where they ended up,” Buehler said. “Glad it didn’t cost us the game.”

Trevor Story, Ryan McMahon and Ian Desmond had solo homers, and Nolan Arenado added a two-run shot for the Rockies, who dropped their seventh in a row and 11th in 12 games.

Colorado rookie Peter Lambert (2-6) gave up six runs and eight hits in 1 2/3 innings. He struck out two and walked two. With the game a blowout, Desmond pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Rockies before homering in the ninth.

“I didn’t have my A-game,” Lambert said. “They had some big hits and got it going. The season is a grind and I have to keep grinding it out. I want to finish the season strong.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: OF Raimel Tapia (left hand contusion) is expected to play either Tuesday or Wednesday. … OF David Dahl (right high ankle sprain) is taking swings in the batting cage and doing light jogging but didn’t make the trip. … LHP Kyle Freeland (left groin strain) threw off the slope of the mound but his progress remains slow. … RHP German Marquez (right arm inflammation) still has discomfort in his throwing arm and there are no definite plans for him.

Dodgers: RHP Dustin May underwent another concussion test and played catch a day after being struck on the right side of his head by a liner in Arizona. His only complaint was a sore neck. … LHP Rich Hill (left forearm strain) threw 35 pitches in a bullpen session. He’ll next face hitters on Friday or Saturday. … OF Alex Verdugo (right oblique strain) began a rehab stint at Rookie-level Ogden for a week and is expected to rejoin the team on its East Coast trip next week.

UMPIRE HURT

Home-plate umpire Larry Vanover left in the bottom of the fifth after he was apparently hit near his right hand by a foul ball during Kiké Hernández’s at-bat.

Manny Gonzalez moved from second base to work home plate after a 13-minute delay.

LEADING OFF

The Rockies have allowed a leadoff homer in five straight games, making them the first team in the modern era to do so.

UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez (0-6, 8.07) goes for his first victory after the team lost all eight of his starts since June 25.

Dodgers: LHP Julio Urias (4-3, 2.53) makes his first start since being reinstated from the restricted list after being suspended 20 games by MLB for a domestic violence incident. He’ll be limited to three innings and 45 pitches.

———

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports



Source link