Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) – Melvin Mora scored the go-ahead run on Octavio Dotel’s wild pitch in the 10th inning, and the Dodgers had the tying run thrown out at the plate to end the game, as the Rockies took a wild 3-2 decision in the middle installment of a three-game series.
The Rockies went ahead in the extra frame without recording a hit, as Mora worked a walk after being down 0-2 in the count, stole second when Eric Young Jr. struck out and took third on the first of Dotel’s three errant offerings.
After Dexter Fowler walked, Dotel (2-3) threw a ball that got away from A.J. Ellis, allowing Mora to scamper home without a play at the plate.
Huston Street entered in the bottom half for the save and yielded a one-out single to pinch-hitter Reed Johnson. Matt Kemp followed with a strikeout, but Scott Podsednik blooped a hit in front of a diving Fowler in center.
Fowler failed to secure the ball despite getting his glove on it but recovered in time to relay a throw to Troy Tulowitzki standing at second base as Johnson was rounding third.
Tulowitzki’s throw home easily beat Johnson for the final out, securing Street’s ninth save of the year.
“We really had to grind tonight. There wasn’t a lot going on offensively,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. “We took advantage of a couple of walks and wild pitches to scratch out a run. It was a great game to win.”
Miguel Olivo knocked in two runs for Colorado, which has alternated wins and losses in each of its 15 games in August. Rafael Betancourt (3-1) recorded the final two outs of the home ninth to get credit for the win.
Jamey Carroll drove in a run for Los Angeles, which has lost six of eight.
“We’re still struggling offensively,” Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. “We came away empty…and once Mora got on [in the 10th] it got pretty ugly.”
Podsednik used his speed to score the game’s first run, leading off the home first with a single to left, taking second on a sacrifice bunt, advancing to third on a wild pitch and racing home when Olivo failed to handle another of Jason Hammel’s pitches.
Olivo and Carroll traded RBI doubles in the second inning, though Carroll was tug out trying to score on a botched squeeze bunt by Ellis later in the frame.
An Olivo groundout in the fourth plated Seth Smith, who led off the inning with a walk and moved to third on Ian Stewart’s single.
Defense took center stage from there, with Carlos Gonzalez topping the highlights with an outstretched catch at the right-field wall before slamming into it in the sixth inning. Though it possibly saved a run, the breakout star left the game with a right knee contusion.
Young made a behind-the-back toss to nab Podsednik on his bunt down the first- base line in the eighth, and his second-base counterpart, Ryan Theriot, ranged to his left to snag a Stewart grounder before starting an inning-ending double play in the top of the ninth.
Hammel was charged with two runs on four hits and four walks over six frames, while LA’s Hiroki Kuroda struck out seven in as many frames, allowing two runs on six hits…The Rockies had gotten shut out in three of their previous four road games…Colorado’s run in the second inning ended a string of 22 straight scoreless frames for the club at Dodger Stadium…LA fell to 7-4 in extra innings, while Colorado is an even 7-7.