Rockies use long ball to defeat Kershaw, Dodgers
DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies slugged three home runs against Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw Saturday night and defeated the Dodgers 4-2.
It was just the third time in his career that Kershaw gave up three home runs in a game.
Colorado has won the first two games of the three-game series.
Nolan Arenado hit a solo homer in the first and scored ahead of Mark Reynolds' two-run shot in the sixth. When Gerardo Parra followed with a homer, it was the first time Kershaw yielded back-to-back homers and just the third multiple-homer inning against him in his career.
Kershaw (1-1) was unbeaten in nine previous starts at Coors Field, where he had not lost since April 5, 2011, and was 8-3 in 17 previous outings. Regardless of where they faced him, the Rockies had done little long-ball damage against Kershaw before Saturday's outburst. Indeed, entering Saturday, they hit 13 homers in 431 plate appearances against him over a span of 103 innings.
Rockies starter Jon Gray worked 5 1/3 innings, piling up 96 pitches while giving up one run on four hits and three walks with just one strikeout. Mike Dunn (2-0) retired the two batters he faced in relief of Gray.
The Dodgers pushed across a run in the eighth against Jake McGee to make it 4-2. Pinch hitter Franklin Gutierrez led off with a double and scored on Adrian Gonzalez's two-out single.
Greg Holland earned his fourth save for Rockies, who are 5-1 and have won each game by two or fewer runs. The Dodgers fell to 3-3.
NOTES: Dodgers LHP Alex Wood will start Monday against the Cubs at Chicago, taking the turn of LHP Rich Hill (left middle finger blister). ... Dodgers RHP Pedro Baez (right wrist contusion), making back-to-back rehab appearances for Triple-A Oklahoma City, worked two-thirds of an inning and gave up one hit, one walk and two runs. He is expected to join the Dodgers in Chicago. ... Dodgers 2B Logan Forsythe was given a planned day off but pinch hit and struck out in the seventh. ... Rockies LHP Chris Rusin (right oblique strain) threw 2 2/3 innings Thursday on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque. The Rockies will soon decide whether he needs another rehab outing or will be activated. ... Rockies RHP Chad Qualls (right forearm tightness) threw about 25 pitches in a simulated game and is expected to begin a rehab assignment at the start of the week. ... Rockies RF Carlos Gonzalez a left-handed hitter, was not in the lineup against LHP Clayton Kershaw.