Los Angeles

Kenta Maeda the Hard-Luck Loser in 1-0 Loss to Rockies

Daniel Descalso knocked in the game's only run and the Colorado Rockies defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, 1-0, in the rubber match of the three-game series on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.

LOS ANGELES – Daniel Desalso continues to provide the Dodgers discomfort. 

The Rockies first baseman knocked in the only run of the game and Colorado held on to beat the Dodgers 1-0, in the rubber match of the series on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.

Delscalso continued to be a thorn in the Dodgers' side as he hit the game-tying home run on Tuesday and the game-winning RBI single on Wednesday night.

"I wanted to stay in and pitch to Descalso," Dodgers' starter Kenta Maeda said of the RBI single to Descalso. "That was my intent, to stay in the game."

After a one-out double by Gerardo Parra in the top of the seventh inning, Descalso hit a line-drive single to center, scoring the only run of the game for either team.

"I felt that Kenta could get him [Descalso] out," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "He elevated a breaking ball, but it was a soft liner to centerfield. If you take soft contact, I'll bet on soft contact getting an out. Kenta pitched great."

The former Cardinal has a career batting average of .292 with two doubles, two home runs and eight RBI at Dodger Stadium.

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Maeda (5-4) was the hard-luck loser allowing just that run to score with five hits and a career-high nine strikeouts in 6 and 2/3 innings. 

"Overall, I've improved the quality of my pitches," Maeda said through a translator. "I've been using my fastball more and not relying on one specific pitch."

Chris Rusin (2-4) cruised through the game for Colorado, throwing six scoreless innings allowing just three hits as he snapped his career-long losing streak at four games, earning his first road win of the season.

Jake McGee worked the ninth for the Rockies earning his 15th save of the season.

Los Angeles was held scoreless in 24 out of 27 innings in the series and lost a set to Colorado at Dodger Stadium for the first time since April 2014.

"Guys are trying to do a little bit too much. There's some empty at-bats and tenativeness," Roberts said of the offensive slump. "We're missing fastballs and putting extra pressure on us."

Players of the Game:

Chris Rusin: No runs on 3 hits with 3 strikeouts in 6 IP.
Kenta Maeda: 1 run on 5 hits with 9 strikeouts in 6.2 IP.
Daniel Descalso: Game-winning RBI single.

Three Takeaways:

1. Neeeeeeewk! It was Don Newcombe's 90th birthday on Wednesday and the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated one of the greatest players in franchise history with a celebration fit for a king. The first 40,000 fans in attendance received a bobblehead, and Newcombe himself started the game by saying "It's time for Dodger baseball." The team also prepared a birthday cake and Keith Williams Jr. sang the national anthem.

2. No Run Support: The Dodgers were held scoreless a total of 24 out of 27 innings against the Rockies in the series.

3. Well, This is Awkward: There was not one, but two head-scratching moments on Wednesday night between the Rockies and Dodgers. First, in the bottom half of the fifth inning, Kenta Maeda laid down a sacrifice bunt but Colorado had two players covering first on the play and Maeda made it safely.

In the top half of the seventh, with two outs and a runner on second, Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts came out of the dugout to talk to Kenta Maeda. Adam Liberatore--who was in the bullpen at the time--thought he was being called into the game and was halfway to the mound when he was told to turn around and go back to the pen.

Up Next:
Rockies (26-31): Colorado returns to the confines of home where they will host the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field.

Dodgers (31-28): Los Angeles will have an off-day on Thursday before opening a crucial three-game series in San Francisco against the Giants.

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