Jon Gray steamrolled a dynamic Dodgers lineup for five innings on Saturday before an abrupt bout of “full-body cramping” ended his otherwise brilliant night.
Los Angeles took full advantage — storming back from two runs down and staving off Colorado’s surge — for a 6-5 Dodgers victory. L.A. now takes a 2-1 series lead into the finale at Coors Field.
On Saturday, the Rockies bolted out to a 2-0 lead against Dodgers’ starter Walker Buehler when Raimel Tapia recorded his first homer of the season, and Ryan McMahon drove in an RBI-double scoring C.J. Cron. However, Gray’s looming health status initially overshadowed positive storylines.
“Jon started cramping in his last at-bat in between innings,” manager Bud Black said. “Lower extremities, mainly his right leg, then it sort-of went to his left leg. He was cramping bad. … We tried to get some electrolytes in him quickly and see if that would help alleviate the soreness.”
The Rockies (1-2) cannot afford more injuries to their starting rotation with southpaw Kyle Freeland (left shoulder) also on the mend. There is currently no timetable for his return.
Gray tossed 82 pitches on Saturday with seven strikeouts through five innings and retired a stretch of 11 consecutive Dodgers. But Corey Seager blasted a lead-off double in the sixth, and Gray never threw another pitch.
He instead called toward the Rockies bench for the medical staff, and after a brief mound meeting, Gray left for the locker room. The team later announced that he suffered from “full-body cramping.”
“I’m feeling good as of now. That was just kind of crazy. I’ve never had a cramp like that before,” Gray told reporters after the game. “It was just more annoying than anything. I felt really good today. … Hopefully, this is the last time I feel this.”
Black added: “I thought (Gray) was brilliant. … His four-pitch mix was probably as good as I’ve seen John.”
Yency Almonte stepped in for Gray in the sixth. He hit one Dodger (Edwin Rios) and allowed two singles (Max Muncy/Austin Barnes) as Los Angeles took a 3-2 lead. Rockies’ reliever Tyler Kinley did not fare much better in the seventh, giving up a lead-off triple to Gavin Lux. A Seager RBI single put the Dodgers ahead by two runs.
Colorado regained momentum, briefly, later in the inning. Cron walked on five pitches and moved to second on a fielder’s choice. Josh Fuentes handled the rest, blasting his first home run of the season to tie the game at 4-4.
L.A. pulled ahead in the eighth when Zach McKinstry, with two outs facing reliever Mychal Givens, blasted an inside-the-park home run that bounced off Tapia’s glove on the left-field wall. Tapia appeared to have injured his neck on the play when he crashed into the padding on his catch attempt. He left the game and was replaced in the outfield by Chris Owings. The team does not believe Tapia suffered a concussion.
“Tapia suffered a little bit of a whiplash when he was coming down,” Black said. “He was sore in the neck. A little bit dazed. But he should be fine.”
The Dodgers extended their lead back up by two runs when Lux scored on a Chris Taylor double. Yet the back-and-forth game continued.
A Trevor Story double off Dodgers’ reliever Victor Gonzalez in the eighth drove in Garrett Hampson and the Rockies trailed 6-5. Los Angeles opted for pitcher Kenley Jansen and he closed out the eighth and ninth innings with no further Colorado damage.
Looking ahead
Dodgers LHP Julio Urias (3-0, 3.27 in 2020) at Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (1-1, 1.86)
1:10 p.m. Sunday, Coors Field
TV: ATTRM Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM
Gomber will make his first start since being traded to the Rockies in the deal that sent third baseman Nolan Arenado to the St. Louis Cardinals. Gomber, a former fourth-round draft pick out of Florida Atlantic University, made his major league debut in 2018 but spent 2019 in the minors. He thrived a year ago over 14 appearances (four starts) and was expected to compete for a Cardinals’ rotation spot before landing in Colorado. Urias has not faired very well previously against the Rockies with a 5.77 ERA over 10 career appearances, including seven starts.
Trending: In 2020, the Rockies finished 3-7 against the eventual World Series champion Dodgers (1-3 at Coors Field).
Pitching probables
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Diamondbacks RHP Luke Weaver (1-9, 6.58) at Rockies RHP German Marquez (0-0, 2.25 in 2021)
Wednesday: TBD
