LOS ANGELES ― Freddie Freeman came to bat with the bases loaded in the sixth inning, the kind of scenario that has often ended well for the Dodgers this season, even without any help from the opposing team.
A routine fly ball 360 feet from home plate had all the makings of a sacrifice fly until the Colorado Rockies’ left fielder, Jurickson Profar, inexplicably missed the catch on the warning track. Freeman wound up on first base, David Peralta trotted home, and the Dodgers had the easiest of their six runs in a 6-1 victory over the Rockies on Friday night.
The Dodgers (69-46) have won their last six games, and have beaten Colorado (45-71) in all four tries at home this season. They also extended their lead over the second-place San Francisco Giants (62-54) to 7½ games in the National League West with their 10th win in 11 games this month.
“Right now we’re finding ways to win baseball games, whether it’s a great pitching performance, a big hit late, or pouring it on offensively,” Manager Dave Roberts said.
Dodgers starter Lance Lynn (9-9) improved to 3-0 in three starts since the Dodgers acquired him and Joe Kelly from the Chicago White Sox on July 28.
The Rockies scored an unearned run when Dodgers third baseman Kiké Hernandez made an errant throw in the fourth inning, allowing Ezequiel Tovar to score from second base and putting runners on second and third with one out.
“I can’t exactly tell you what I told myself,” Lynn said of the moment, “but it was time to get going, for sure.”
Lynn struck out Elias Diaz on five pitches, getting him to chase a bending curveball below the knees for strike three. He struck out Nolan Jones on seven pitches, getting him to chase a slider in the dirt for strike three. Michael Toglia then flew out to end the inning.
Lynn threw five innings and recorded nine of the Dodgers’ season-high 16 strikeouts. It was the kind of performance that’s easy to overlook on a quick scan of the day’s box scores. But his ability to stop the bleeding in the fourth inning was the kind of clutch performance the Dodgers often failed to receive from the rookies Lynn was acquired to replace.
“When you get runners on you’re trying to make sure you don’t give up any (runs),” Lynn said. “That’s the number one goal. After that, I kind of found a groove. Will (Smith, the Dodgers’ catcher) was pushing good buttons with the PitchCom (device). We had a good flow.”
Lynn leaned heavily on his four-seam fastball, changing speeds as needed from 91-95 throughout the night. Caleb Ferguson, Alex Vesia, Yency Almonte and Ryan Brasier didn’t allow a run in relief.
Profar’s fateful error was the gift-wrapped bow on a night that began with the official retirement of Fernando Valenzuela’s No. 34 and ended with the Dodgers out-hitting the Rockies 11-6. Mookie Betts, Chris Taylor and David Peralta each had two hits for the Dodgers, who also drew three walks and were hit by three pitches.
The Dodgers led 2-1 when the bullpen took over for Lynn. They pulled away by scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, all charged to former teammate Justin Bruihl.
James Outman started the rally by drawing a walk. Taylor singled him to second base. A double by Peralta scored Outman, and Bruihl hit Miguel Rojas with a pitch to load the bases.
Jake Bird relieved Bruihl and fared no better. His 0-and-2 curveball to Mookie Betts landed squarely between Betts’ shoulders, the second consecutive hit by a pitch forcing in a run.
After Profar dropped Freeman’s fly ball to push across another run, Smith hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Rojas and cap the scoring.
The Dodgers had 17 baserunners through seven innings, while five pitchers combined for 16 strikeouts and two walks against the last-place Rockies.
Brasier made a surprise appearance when Almonte was forced to leave the game with an injury in the middle of Jones’ ninth inning at-bat. Brasier took over with a 3-and-1 count, walked Jones, then struck out Toglia to end the game.
“I don’t know if he caught a spike or something, but it was his back right knee, inside,” Roberts said of Almonte. “On the second or third to last pitch, he felt it right there. I saw a grimace. … I didn’t want to take any risk.”