After six-inches of snow fell overnight, the Dodgers provided an avalanche on Sunday afternoon as they beat up the Rockies 9-5 to sweep the weather shortened two-game series and send Colorado to their ninth consecutive loss.
Adrian Gonzalez knocked in four runs and Justin Turner hit a pinch-hit two-run homer in the top half of the eighth as Los Angeles broke a 5-5 tie with a four-spot in the inning.
Not sure if it was the cold weather, or the home plate umpire, but walks were a plenty on the afternoon as the two teams combined for 14 free passes on the day.
"We took 10 walks today, so guys are taking good at-bats every time, not trying to do too much just get on base." Turner said.
Reigning National League MVP Clayton Kershaw was responsible for four of those base-on-balls and struggled through 5 2/3 innings allowing five runs on eight hits with just five strikeouts.
"Some years it doesn’t go the way you want it to," said Dodgers manager Don Mattingly of his ace. "Early on it probably hasn't gone the way he's wanted it to. But it will return and it will be just as dominate as it's always been."
Kershaw missed picking up his 100th career win for the fourth consecutive start. Once he does pick up the century-mark milestone, he will become the second youngest pitcher in Major League history to reach such a feat, behind only Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners.
Kershaw was in Cy Young Award winning form through the first three innings, but he struggled in the fourth as it seemed like every Rockies batter to come to the plate hit a single off the Dodgers superstar.
"I walked some guys, and gave up a few hard hit balls," said Kershaw of the fourth inning. "You see five runs on the board so it was not a good start. It was a tough day."
Wilin Rosario, Nick Hundley and Jorge De La Rosa all singled in runs off Kershaw to give Colorado a 5-2 lead heading into the fifth. For Hundley, the single extended his hitting streak to 13 games.
De La Rosa was unable to keep the momentum and hold off LA as he walked the bases loaded before surrendering a bases clearing double to Gonzalez that tied the game at 5-5.
De La Rosa allowed five runs on five hits with six walks in four innings.
Gonzalez was named the Lexus Player of the Game with two doubles and four RBIs giving him 29 on the season, tied for the Major League lead with Giancarlo Stanton.
Turner hit the Dodgers league-leading fourth pinch-hit home run of the season off Scott Oberg (1-1) in the 8th inning, to put the Dodgers ahead for good 7-5.
"I was looking for something up and out of the zone to drive," said Turner of the at-bat. "He left a curveball up. I didn't know it was a homer, but I knew I got enough for it to at least be a sac fly."
The Dodgers would tack on two more and Adam Liberatore and Yimi Garcia combined for two perfect innings in the 8th and 9th to shut the door on the Mile High Men.
Liberatore has been amazing for Los Angeles out of the pen as he has retired 26 of 27 batters he's faced on the season which coincides with the beginning of his MLB career. Liberatore has eight strikeouts and no walks on the year and has not allowed a run at any level of play (Spring Training, Minors and the Majors).
"We have a pretty complete team," added Kershaw. "If I start doing my part we'll be pretty good."
Game Notes:
Clayton Kershaw recorded his 1,500th career strikeout. At 27 years old he becomes one of the youngest pitchers in history to reach the milestone.
The Dodgers players honored Mothers Day by wearing a pink breast cancer patch on their uniforms and many players wore pink armbands, gloves, undershirts, bats, socks and more during the game.
Los Angeles patiently walked a season-high 10 times.
