The Rockies are undefeated against the Dodgers in 2024. Print that somewhere. In an unmemorable performance by the LA offense, Colorado took the series opener 4-1 on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.
Pitching is a funny little thing. A team can do things right for so long and have that implode in the span of minutes, particularly if the cushion hasn’t entered blowout territory. For a moment, it felt like that was going to happen with the Rockies in this game, but it wasn’t to be.
Dakota Hudson came into Dodger Stadium with seven losses in eight decisions and did something remarkable, he faced Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman a combined nine times. They went 0 for 9 against him. There is no blaming the bottom of the lineup this time around.
Bud Black got seven scoreless frames out of his right-hander, but then he got greedy and it almost cost him. Hudson came back out there for the eighth and allowed the first two men to reach base before getting the hook.
Quickly, a 4-0 lead in a game that had everything going right for the visiting team presented Betts up to the plate as the tying run with the bases loaded. The tenth at-bat by a Dodger MVP in the evening resulted in a double play. Ohtani walked and once again the Dodgers had the tying run up, this time trailing by three, and Freeman struck out against the lefty Jalen Beeks.
There is plenty to be said about the importance of routine and proper preparation for a season, which involves spring training and all of that. Walker Buehler didn’t have that, and considering his time off, bumps along the way are to be expected.
One can look at the performance against the Rockies and be somewhat underwhelming. However, at least as far as the cause for the loss, well, no pitcher can work his way around the offense not putting up run(s) on the board.
The first-inning woes continued as the Rockies loaded the bases with only one out to start the game, but Buehler pitched his way out
Buehler would deal with men on for most of his evening, and the bulk of the damage done against him came in the third. Even with two strikes and two outs in the frame, back-to-back singles by Kris Bryant and Brendan Rodgers came to put the Rockies on the board with a 3-0 lead. An inning later, Ezequiel Tovar added a fourth one, taking the Dodgers’ starter deep.
Continuing to build up his pitch count, the Dodgers gave Buehler a bit of leeway, and he responded well. Having conceded four runs across four frames, Buehler was able to complete six innings with seven punchouts on 92 pitches.
Buehler was able to notch a quality start due to an error in the third inning, as Andy Pages let Rodgers’ single go right by him to the wall.
Wednesday particulars
Home run: Ezequiel Tovar (8)
WP — Dakota Hudson (2-7): 7+ IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts
LP — Walker Buehler (1-3): 6 IP, 6 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Sv — Jalen Beeks (6): 1⅓ IP, 2 strikeouts
Up next
Same place, same time on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium (7:10 p.m.; SportsNet LA, MLB Network). This time around the pitching duel will be between Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Cal Quantrill.