For the second time in as many nights, the Colorado Rockies left Dodgers Stadium with a one-run victory. Their insurance run added in the ninth inning Saturday night proved to be the difference in the 6-5 victory, as Los Angeles rallied for a run of their own in the ninth.
Chad Bettis (1-2, 4.98 ERA) battled Cy Young candidate Alex Wood (14-3, 2.81) over five innings apiece. Bettis surrendered four runs, although only three were earned. Wood surrendered five runs on eight hits, in his first outing of less than six innings since July 21 and only his third of that length since June. Colorado took three walks and registered eight hits, including a two-run home run by Trevor Story in a four-run fourth inning. Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado each had RBI singles in the fourth, as well. The Dodgers answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Story padded Colorado’s lead in the fifth with a double that scored Gerardo Parra, but the Dodgers would respond again. Andre Ethier homered to lead off the fifth and keep it a one-run game.
Bettis and Wood gave way to their respective bullpens, who kept things knotted at 5-4 until the ninth. Scott Oberg, Pat Neshek and Jake McGee each pitched a scoreless frame for Colorado. Ross Stripling, Brandon Morrow and Tony Watson matched for Los Angeles.
In the ninth, each team’s All-Star closer surrendered a run. Kenley Jansen gave up a leadoff double to Arenado, which Parra followed one batter later with a double of his own to stretch Colorado’s lead. That run would prove vital as Greg Holland surrendered a leadoff home run to Logan Forsythe in the bottom of the ninth to make it 6-5. Holland would bounce back, though, to strike out the next two hitters and get a ground out to third base to end the game, earning his 39th save of the season.
The Rockies will send Tyler Chatwood (6-12, 4.88) to the mound looking for a sweep on Sunday afternoon. He’ll face Rich Hill (9-7, 3.67), who has lost each of his last three starts. The Dodgers have now lost nine games in a row, but still hold a 10-game lead over Arizona in the NL West. Colorado still holds a three-game lead over both Milwaukee and St. Louis for the final Wild Card spot behind the Diamondbacks. First pitch is 2:10 p.m. MDT.