Freeland returns, Chi Chi and bullpen burns the Dodgers

Hoping to snap a 12-game losing streak in Los Angeles dating back to June 30, 2018 and avoid breaking a dubious record for the longest such streak in Dodgers Stadium’s 58-year history, Colorado looked to play spoiler with their 36th player of the month.

Reinstated before the game from the 10-day IL due to a left groin strain, starting pitcher Kyle Freeland was on a strict pitch count after returning for his his first start since August 20 at Arizona. Though he threw only 29 pitches for 21 strikes, he didn’t give up a run during two innings and pitched with pluck during a difficult opening frame that exhausted most of his allotment.

A leadoff double by David Freese was quickly erased on a line drive double play. The potential third out was overturned on an A.J. Pollock infield single before Freeland got a fly out from National League MVP candidate Cody Bellinger to end the inning.

Ryan McMahon opened the scoring with a solo shot for his 23rd home run of the season, tying the 24-year-old infielder with Clint Barmes (2009) for the most homers in franchise history by a second baseman.

From there, it was the Garrett Hampson Show once again. Batting .367 – third in the NL -with 11 runs over 16 games this month, he reached on an infield single to start the game. During his second place appearance, his walk was followed by a stolen base and sparked a two-run inning in the third.

Chi Chi González, originally slated to start Saturday night, took over in the bottom half of the frame with hopes of finishing the remaining seven innings. Throughout his altered outing, he struck out a career-high eight batters and didn’t surrender an earned run over five frames.

His only difficulty came in the two-run fourth after Bellinger reached on an error. With two outs, Corey Seager tripled and Russell Martin singled for L.A.’s only runs.

Josh Fuentes added his third home run of the season on a first-pitch slider from Dodgers’ starting pitcher Walker Buehler, chasing the young ace from the 4-2 ballgame.

With Los Angeles not looking to give away any more edge to Colorado, Pedro Báez came on for the eighth. Raimel Tapia promptly singled and didn’t make it to second base until the second out of the inning. Sam Hilliard singled to center field, but Tapia’s poor jump would be his undoing, getting thrown out a home to prevent another Rockies’ insurance run.

Carlos Estévez worked the eighth and gave up an inconsequential single to Enrique Hernández; Jairo Diáz completed the ninth with two strikeouts on just ten pitches to earn his fifth save of the month.

The loss for Los Angeles prevents the seven-time reigning NL West winners from 60 victories at home and keeps them from locking up the top seed in the Senior Circuit.