After a red-hot start to the 2015 season, the Colorado Rockies were served a reality check by the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend. The Dodgers overtook the Rockies for first place in the NL West with a three-game sweep in Los Angeles.
Colorado wraps up their California road trip with a 3-3 record after sweeping the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.
The Dodgers pitching staff registered 30 strikeouts with just six walks in the series. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are drawing walks at the highest clip in the MLB. The Dodgers also lead the NL with 17 homeruns. The Rockies – who came into the series undefeated in the road – haven’t won in LA in their last nine attempts.
Second baseman Howie Kendrick dominated the Rockies over the weekend. The 31-year-old went 6-for-12 with 5 RBI, two homeruns, and two doubles.
Game 1, April 17 – Dodgers 7 – Rockies 3
Clayton Kershaw (1-1) earned his first win of the season. The superstar allowed two homeruns, but struck out 12 hitters in six innings. He improved to 12-2 in 19 starts against Colorado.
Howie Kendrick went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a homerun. Adrian Gonzalez chipped in two RBI on three hits.
The Rockies did all their scoring with two swings of the bat. Tulowitzki hit a solo shot off Kershaw in the fourth inning. Charlie Blackmon followed that up with a two-run bomb with two out in the fifth inning.
Kyle Kendrick (1-2) struggled in his third start for Colorado. The righty was never able to find his grove after walking the leadoff hitter and falling into a 3-0 hole in the first inning. He allowed six earned runs on seven hits with five walks in just 4 and two-thirds innings of work.
Relief pitcher Christian Friedrich allowed one run on two hits in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Game 2, April 18 – Dodgers 6 – Rockies 3
Yasiel Puig returned from a three-game absence with a homerun and two hits. Howie Kendrick went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Adrian Gonzalez registered three RBI in the win.
Zack Greinke (2-0) allowed three earned runs on five hits in six and two-third innings. He had three strikeouts, one walk, and also picked up a hit.
DJ LeMahieu hit a two-run bomb off of Greinke in the seventh inning
Jordan Lyles (1-1) picked up his first loss of the season. The righty went six innings, but allowed four runs on five hits with five walks and five punch-outs. Brooks Brown struggled in relief of Lyles – allowing three hits and two runs in one inning.
Game 3, April 19 – Dodgers 7 – Rockies 0
Brandon McCarthy (2-0) – who attended Cheyenne High School in Colorado Springs – delivered a quality start for the Dodgers. He allowed three hits while striking out six in six scoreless innings.
It was the first time this season that the Rockies have been shutout.
The Dodgers hit four doubles and three homeruns on the way to outhitting Rockies 14-4 in the contest.
The Rockies failed to take advantage of a golden opportunity to salvage the game and the series in the sixth inning. Colorado had runners on first and third with nobody out and the heart of their lineup stepping up to the plate. McCarthy was impressively able to pitch out of the trouble – forcing Carlos Gonzalez to pop out and Tulowitzki to ground into an inning ending double play.
After that, Rockies relief pitcher Scott Oberg was torn apart in the bottom of the sixth inning. He allowed five runs, three earned, on four hits and got just one batter out. Howie Kendrick, Scott Van Slyke, and Joc Pederson all hit homeruns off the 25-year-old rookie. Oberg hadn’t allowed a run in his previous two appearances.
Van Slyke finished the game with three hits and three RBI.
Eddie Butler (1-1) pitched well despite being credited with the loss. The righty allowed two earned runs in five innings of work with four strikeouts and zero walks.
The Rockies are right back at it on Monday against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field. Jorge De La Rosa will make his season debut as the Rockies open up a seven-game home stand.
Nathan is a staff writer for Mile High Sports. He can be reached on Twitter at @TheRealNatron.