Dodgers 4, Rockies 1
DENVER -- Kenta Maeda pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings and A.J. Ellis hit a two-run homer to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night at Coors Field.
Maeda (3-0) held the Rockies hitless for 5 1/3 innings before DJ LeMahieu lined a single to center. He left an inning later after giving up three hits and one walk with eight strikeouts while lowering his ERA to 0.36.
Maeda evoked memories of Hideo Nomo, who like Maeda left Japan to pitch for the Dodgers and on Sept. 17, 1996, threw the only no-hitter in the history of Coors Field, which opened in 1995.
A.J. Ellis's two-run homer came in the second inning against Tyler Chatwood (2-2) as the Dodgers packed three of their runs into the first two innings. That proved to be enough of a cushion for Maeda against the overmatched Rockies.
Maeda escaped a jam in the sixth after LeMahieu's one-out single. Trevor Story followed with a single and Carlos Gonzalez loaded the bases with an infield single as Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager and second baseman Chase Utley got tangled up as they both made a diving attempt for the ball.
But Maeda got Nolan Arenado to pop out before Gerardo Parra hit a one-hopper back to Maeda, who tossed the ball home for the inning-ending forceout.
After Maeda departed in the seventh, Ben Paulsen singled into the hole at shortstop and took second when Seager's throw sailed over first base. Tony Wolters followed with a grounder that went off first baseman Adrian Gonzalez's glove but right to Utley, who threw Wolters out.
Brandon Barnes, whose two-run triple won Friday night's game for the Rockies, doubled into the gap in left center off Joe Blanton to make it 4-1. But Blanton retired LeMahieu on a flyout to end the inning.
Kenley Jansen, the fifth Los Angeles pitcher, worked the ninth for his eighth save of the season and 20th in a row dating to Aug. 26, 2015.
Utley, who went 3-for-5, doubled home a run with two outs in the sixth to put the Dodgers up 4-0. Left fielder Ryan Raburn made a diving attempt to catch Utley's opposite-field hit but just missed it and Ellis, who singled and was sacrificed to second by Maeda, scored.
Wolters' two-out liner in the fifth looked like it was going to be the Rockies' first hit. But Dodgers left fielder Enrique Hernandez ran back, reached out as far as he could and caught the ball as he tumbled to the warning track.
Ellis' first homer of the season, a two-run shot in the second, gave the Dodgers a 3-0 lead. They scored a run in the first when Adrian Gonzalez topped a grounder to shortstop after Seager singled and Yasiel Puig doubled.
Chatwood was fortunate the Rockies weren't more than three runs behind after three innings. He left the bases loaded in the third before escaping.
Chatwood's outing ended after four innings and 95 pitches.
NOTES: Dodgers RHP Zach Lee was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he was 3-0 with a 1.56 ERA in three starts. He'll work out of the bullpen as the Dodgers placed RHP Yimi Garcia (right biceps soreness) on the 15-day disabled list. ... Rockies C Nick Hundley (concussion) is scheduled to play five innings on Saturday and Sunday for Triple-A Albuquerque. Barring a setback, the Rockies will activate Hundley on Monday. ... Rockies SS Trevor Story hit leadoff after batting second in his first 16 career games. ... According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Rockies RHP Jon Gray, who had a career-high 10 strikeouts on Friday night, is the fourth rookie to strike out at least 10 batters in a game at Coors Field. Colorado's Shawn Chacon in 2001 and Oliver Perez with the San Diego Padres in 2002 each had 13 strikeouts in a game, and Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez had 10 in 2007. ... Dodgers 3B Justin Turner was not in the lineup but available to pinch hit. Manager Dave Roberts said Turner wasn't moving well after having his left big toe spiked on Friday night by Rockies C Tony Wolters. ... Dodgers RHP Louis Coleman will rejoin the team Monday after being on bereavement leave. ... Rockies RHP Carlos Estevez made his major league debut and pitched two hitless innings one day after being recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque.