Greinke Suffers First Loss Of Season As Dodgers Can’t Solve De La Rosa
Zack Greinke put his undefeated record and personal 10-game winning streak on the line Saturday night as the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the Colorado Rockies for the third of a four-game series.
Greinke struck out the first two batters, then allowed the Rockies to take an early lead as Carlos Gonzalez hit a solo home run. The Dodger right-hander then got Nolan Arenado swinging to strike out the side. Kiké Hernandez hit a leadoff double against Jorge De La Rosa and Jimmy Rollins reached safely on a Daniel Descalso error.
However, the Dodgers weren’t able to capitalize on having two on with no outs as Howie Kendrick hit into a double play and Justin Turner grounded out to end the inning. The Rockies had two runners reach on base hits in the second inning before Greinke struck out De La Rosa to keep the Dodgers within a run.
De La Rosa recorded consecutive strikeouts in the third inning and got Juan Uribe to fly out as he sat the Dodgers down in order. Neither offense managed to get a runner on in the third inning, though Greinke nearly helped himself as he drove a fly ball to deep left-center that Charlie Blackmon tracked down a few steps in front of the wall.
After Wilin Rosario hit a two-out single in the fourth inning, Greinke got help from Hernandez out in center field as he ran down a long fly ball hit by Michael McKenry. Hernandez made an over-the-shoulder basket catch moments before he collided with the center field fence to end the inning.
De La Rosa meanwhile continued to sail through the game as Rollins, Kendrick and Turner, the Dodgers’ 2-3-4 hitters, were retired in order. Greinke got more defensive help in the fifth, this time from Rollins, who made a sliding stop, spin on his knee and throw to get De La Rosa in time.
Blackmon was hit by a pitch with two outs and began a cat-and-mouse game with Greinke. The Rockies outfielder wound up breaking for second base in a futile effort as DJ LeMahieu struck out on the pitch.
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