DENVER — The Los Angeles Dodgers made a couple early runs stand up and beat the Colorado Rockies 2-1 in a rain-shortened game Friday night.
The loss extended Colorado’s season-high losing streak to eight games. It was the Rockies’ fourth straight loss to the Dodgers this season and their seventh in succession dating to Sept. 26. The Dodgers have also won 15 of their past 18 games against the Rockies.
There was a hard rain falling when the Dodgers loaded the bases on a hit batter and two infield singles with one out in the sixth. Rockies starter Eddie Butler (2-3) had a 1-1 count on Alex Guerrero when the umpires halted play. After a delay of 1 hour, 40 minutes, the game, which started 64 minutes late due to rain, was called.
Brett Anderson (2-1) was the winning pitcher.
What turned out to be the winning run scored on Alex Guerrero’s sacrifice fly
The Rockies have been tormented by wet weather all week. They had games with Arizona postponed by rain Monday and Tuesday before getting swept by the Diamondbacks in a doubleheader Wednesday. Heavier rain is forecast for Saturday and 2 to 5 inches of snow on Sunday when the final two Rockies-Dodgers games are scheduled.
The Dodgers have not lost any games to weather this season. But the Rockies are already facing two doubleheaders — on May 23 with the San Francisco Giants and most likely on Sept. 1 with the Diamondbacks.
The Dodgers took 2-0 lead in the first, taking advantage of Butler’s control issues when both runners he walked ended up scoring. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez’s ground-rule double plated the first run, and the second scored on a sacrifice fly by catcher Yasmani Grandal, who had eight RBIs Thursday at Milwaukee. Left fielder Corey Dickerson made a sliding catch in foul territory of Grandal’s fly.
Third baseman Nolan Arenado saved a run with a diving stop at the foul line, threw while getting up but Guerrero beat it out for an infield single. Gonzalez tried to score on a ball that skipped away from catcher Nick Hundley, but he was easily thrown out to end a 28-pitch inning for Butler that included just 12 strikes.
The Rockies scored an unearned run in the fourth. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki led off with a double and scored when left fielder Guerrero mishandled Arenado’s single.
Butler settled down after his shaky first, allowing one more hit, an infield single, through the fifth.
Anderson, who pitched for the Rockies last year, ended the first and third innings with double-play grounders. He walked center fielder Charlie Blackmon with two outs in the fifth. Blackmon stole second and tried to score on left fielder Corey Dickerson’s infield single to second but was thrown out at the plate. The Rockies challenged the call, but it was upheld after a three-minute, 11-second review.
NOTES: Rockies C Nick Hundley extended his career-high hitting streak to 11 games and has hit safely in 17 of 20 games. … Rockies LHP Tyler Matzek was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque, and 1B Wilin Rosario was recalled from Albuquerque. … Dodgers RF Yasiel Puig (left hamstring strain) came out of his second rehab start Friday night with a hamstring strain after his at-bat in the fifth inning at high-Class A Rancho Cucamongo. He will be examined Saturday in Los Angeles. He’s eligible to come off the disabled list Sunday, but manager Don Mattingly said Puig will not join the Dodgers that day. They begin a homestand Monday. … Dodgers RHP Kenley Jansen (fifth metatarsal surgery) is scheduled to make his third and fourth rehab appearances Saturday and Sunday for Rancho Cucamonga.