Rockies Mark 5-Game Losing Streak In Loss To Dodgers
LOS ANGELES (The Sports Xchange) - Right-hander Brandon McCarthy pitched five shutout innings in his first appearance in 14 months to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-1 win over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday in front of 41,836 at Dodger Stadium.
McCarthy (1-0) conceded just two hits and one walk while collecting eight strikeouts and throwing 72 pitches in his first game since April 2015, when he underwent Tommy John surgery. McCarthy combined with four relievers in permitting just four total hits and amassing 15 strikeouts, with Kenley Jansen getting his 24th save.
Corey Seager extended his hitting streak to 16 games, matching the Miami Marlins' Marcell Ozuna for the major leagues' longest this year. Trayce Thompson and Yasmani Grandal added solo home runs as Los Angeles earned its sixth victory in seven games.
Colorado rookie shortstop Trevor Story played for the first time in three games when he entered as a defensive replacement during a double switch in the seventh inning. Despite Daniel Descalso's second home run of the season, the Rockies sustained their fifth consecutive loss and their eighth in 11 games.
The Dodgers took a 3-0 lead in the third inning against right-hander Jon Gray (5-4). Thompson began the rally by propelling Gray's 91 mph fastball over the center-field fence for 13th home run.
Gray then hit Howie Kendrick, who scored following successive walks to Yasiel Puig, Grandal and McCarthy. Gray then made Chase Utley fly out before striking out Seager. But Justin Turner hit a line drive just over shortstop Cristhian Adames' glove to drive Puig home. Grandal tried to score on Turner's single but left fielder Brandon Barnes threw Grandal out at the plate.
Descalso ended the Dodgers' shutout bid with a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning. Descalso pounded an 87 mph slider from right-hander Casey Fien into the first row of the right-field bleachers for his second homer of the season.
Grandal responded in the bottom of the inning with his eighth home run, another solo drive. Grandal sent left-hander Chad Qualls' 85 mph slider just over the center-field fence. Center fielder Charlie Blackmon tried to make a leaping one-handed catch at the wall but the ball eluded him by inches.
Gray allowed three runs, six hits, three walks and a hit batsman in his six innings while striking out four.
Five fans ran onto the field waving black banners endorsing animal protection in the bottom of the ninth. But security quickly apprehended and ejected them.
NOTES: Colorado SS Trevor Story was not in the starting lineup for the fourth consecutive game because of a bruised right finger. Story, who leads all rookies with 19 home runs and 50 RBIs, has not made the starting lineup in five of the past six games. He entered the game as a defensive replacement.... Los Angeles LHP Clayton Kershaw could miss at least a month of action with a herniate disc, reported Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal. The Dodgers placed Kershaw on the disabled list Thursday. ... Dodgers 2B Chase Utley returned to the starting lineup after getting Saturday night's game off.
