Kershaw ties Maddux for 11th win at Rockies as offense musters only five hits

After snapping the franchise record for longest single-season streak (5) of scoring three or less runs at Coors Field on Friday night, Colorado started a new one as the offense could only muster five hits in the 6-1 loss to Los Angeles.

Understandable as it may have been against Clayton Kershaw who lowered his earned run average to 2.15 and WHIP to 0.75 on his way towards passing Sandy Koufax for 10th-most innings pitched in Dodgers’ history, it was disappointing for the Rockies to be put on the precipice of a four-game sweep.

Quickly down 2-0 after L.A. got first licks, Raimel Tapia manufactured a run with his legs.

First, it was the spry outfielder hustling into second base for a double to lead off the first. Then, he picked up Trevor Story following a strikeout by stealing third base and allowing a banged up Nolan Arenado to slap one to second base for the first and only run of the game.

From there, the offense managed just four more base runners, twice on account of Kevin Pillar who extended his hit streak to six games (.455, 10-for-22), including three consecutive multi-hit games.

Story also added a base hit to reach a season-high hitting streak to 11 games, the fourth-longest streak of his career. Over than span, he’s batting .349 (15-for-43) with four doubles, one triple, two home runs, five RBI and three stolen bases.

Dodgers’ Jake McGee made his second appearance in as many nights, pitching a scoreless frame and striking out two on the day one his fellow former Rockies’ relievers was removed from the roster.

Player of the Game: González – 5 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 R, 1 BB, 2 SO

It wasn’t flashy, nor impressive, but it was competitive and worth a quality start at Coors Field. Considering it was against the team with the best record in the game of baseball, that’s worthy of the top performer Saturday night.

Subtract two plate appearances against Chris Taylor and Chi Chi had himself quite a solid performance.

Turning Point: Wild pitch by Givens dashes hopes of comeback

By the time Mychal Givens threw a changeup in the dirt for a wild pitch to score Austin Barnes and make the score 5-1, it appeared as if the fork was stuck in the Rockies.

When Givens spun around to pick off Mookie Betts on second base and fired the ball into the outfield, allowing the potential NL MVP to make the score 6-1, the game was essentially over.

Defensive Gem: Fuentes being Fuentes

Taylor was more than halfway to hitting for the cycle with a triple and home run in his first two at-bats and bloop foul ball towards the first base side should have been little more than strike two.

As it were, Josh Fuentes sprinted toward the stands and made the catch just before barreling into the padded wall for the final out of the sixth inning.

Diamond Details

• Before the game, Colorado designated RHP Wade Davis for assignment. The $52M closer was the final in a trio of relievers signed in the 2017-18 offseason to three-year deals for a combined $106M. (RHP Bryan Shaw and LHP Jake McGee received identical pacts for $27M and were released before Opening Day 2020.)
• In connection with Davis’ DFA, recently-signed RHP AJ Ramos was promoted from the alternate site at Metro State University in Denver and threw a scoreless eighth inning. Ramos had not pitched since May 26, 2018 with the New York Mets. Previously, he had saved 99 games with the Miami Marlins from 2012-17.