DENVER (AP) - Things were really flying around Coors Field - the baseball, of course, along with plenty of napkins, hot dog wrappers and plastic bags.
“It was like playing in a whirlpool,” Justin Turner explained.
Corey Seager hit a two-run homer and the Los Angeles Dodgers avoided a sweep by breezing to a 10-6 win over the Colorado Rockies on a blustery Sunday.
The Dodgers came up with clutch hit after clutch hit, scoring seven runs with two outs in winning their 98th game at Coors Field - most of any visiting team. Turner added a two-run double in the first to get the team off and running.
“This was different from Coors Field. Weather plays one factor, but the wind, that’s something that guys don’t like,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Kenta Maeda (1-1) pitched five shaky innings and allowed four runs, including a two-run homer to Charlie Blackmon, before turning it over to the bullpen. The Dodgers’ relievers shut down the Rockies until the ninth, when Kenley Jansen gave up two runs before closing it out.
Tyler Anderson (1-1) took the loss for the Rockies, who had their three-game winning streak stopped. The lefty allowed five runs in five innings. He also had a career-high four walks as he threw just 54 strikes in his 95-pitch outing.
“Most of his pitches, he didn’t have command of any of them,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “The walks came back to haunt him.”
It was a breezy day in Denver with the wind gusting up to 42 mph. That made even routine-looking popups an adventure, with first baseman Mark Reynolds diving on the infield to catch a high fly. Some of the flags around the stadium were taken down.
“You could tell, as the game went on, there were a number of plays the wind definitely affected the ball,” Black said. “You saw a couple pitchers step off.”
The Dodgers certainly weathered the wind, even if, “it made it tough keeping your concentration and catch the ball,” Turner said.
Trailing 5-2 in the fifth, the Rockies scored twice on a run-scoring single by Gerardo Parra and a sacrifice fly from Carlos Gonzalez. But the Dodgers scored a run in the sixth and three more in the seventh to break open the game.
There was a quirky play in the seventh with two on and no outs when catcher Tony Wolters tried to chase after a passed ball near the Dodgers’ dugout, only to tumble inside. Seager, who advanced to third on the play, wasn’t awarded home and that drew an inquiry from Roberts. After a consultation, the umpires kept Seager at third and Turner at second, since the play was not subject to a replay review.
After Seager was thrown out at home on a grounder and Yasiel Puig struck out, Turner scored when Wolters hit him in the back on a pickoff attempt and the ball bounced away. Adrian Gonzalez followed with an RBI single, and Joc Pederson added another to make it 9-4.
“Sometimes baseball has crazy innings like that,” Wolters said. “We’re trying to get as less of those this year as possible. Every team gets those innings.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: Pedro Baez (strained right thumb) allowed two runs over two-thirds of an inning Saturday at Triple-A Oklahoma City during his second rehab appearance. He could be ready for the upcoming series in Chicago.
Rockies: LHP Chris Rusin (right oblique strain) was reinstated from the disabled list and threw two innings. The team optioned right-hander German Marquez to Triple-A Albuquerque.
THIS & THAT
Dodgers 2B Logan Forsythe broke out of his slump by going 3 for 5 with a double and an RBI. He raised his average 92 points to .250. … Rockies reliever Jordan Lyles threw 42 pitches in the seventh.
FINDING HIS SWING
Reigning NL batting champion DJ LeMahieu didn’t start but entered late in the game. He had a single and a triple to raise his average to .160. He hit .348 last season. “Those were two good swings, more like his swings,” Black said.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: LHP Alex Woods steps into the rotation Monday in Chicago with Rich Hill sidelined by a blister. The Cubs will counter with LHP Jon Lester.
Rockies: RHP Tyler Chatwood (0-1, 6.00 ERA) looks to bounce back Monday as Colorado opens a three-game series against San Diego. He gave up four runs in six innings during his first start at Milwaukee.
___
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
Please read our comment policy before commenting.