All winning streaks need to come to an end, and the Colorado Rockies' three-game streak stopped with an 11-7 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night. The Rockies had been able to bring the game to 7-6 at the end of eight innings, but the bullpen failed to keep the game close.
The wheels started to become undone in the sixth inning when Jason Hammel left the game with lower back stiffness. The game tied at one, Matt Reynolds came in with two runners on (both walked by Hammel). Tony Gwynn loaded the bases when he reached on a bunt single. Then Casey Blake came in as a pinch-hitter for Ted Lilly and hit a bases-clearing triple to put the Dodgers up, 4-1. Aaron Miles drove in two more in the seventh and then scored on a Marcus Thames single for a 7-1 lead.
Ty Wigginton hit a home run off of Ted Lilly in the second inning, the only run the pitcher allowed in five innings. The Rockies struck against the Dodger's bullpen in the bottom of the eighth. The bases were loaded after a Carlos Gonzalez double, an Eric Young Jr. infield single and a Jason Giambi walk. Troy Tulowitzki then plated two on a single. Seth Smith pinch-hit for Clayton Mortensen and hit a single to center field. Matt Kemp misplayed the ball, letting it get behind him, and saw Giambi and Tulowitzki score. Charlie Blackmon singled in a run for his first RBI and his first multi-hit game. The score was in favor of the Dodgers by just one run, 7-6.
After Matt Lindstrom allowed three more runs in the top of the ninth, Charlie Blackmon had a chance to be the hero in the bottom of the ninth. With one run in, two outs recorded and the bases loaded, Blackmon smacked a ball to left field that would have cleared the bases. However, Tony Gwynn made the diving catch to finish the game 11-7 in favor of the Dodgers.
The Rockies (31-33, 15-16 home) conclude this series on Sunday afternoon at 1:10 p.m. MT. Ubaldo Jimenez and Rubby De La Rosa are on the mound.
For more on the Rockies, Purple Row is your destination. For the Dodgers, visit True Blue LA and SB Nation Los Angeles.