Considering the circumstances, you might have thought the SoCal Dodgers had a snowball’s chance in hell of winning Friday night’s game at Coors Field.
After a snowy afternoon in Denver, the first pitch temperature was 35 degrees, making it the coldest game in Dodgers history. Then again, they are the Dodgers. And they were playing the Rockies.
The final: Los Angeles 7, Colorado 1. The Rockies (7-13) have lost six of their last seven games. The high-flying Dodgers (15-4) have won 11 of their last 13 games.
Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy sandwiched an RBI double between solo home runs in the second and fifth innings, and right-hander Tyler Glasnow put Colorado’s offense in a deep freeze.
Muncy’s double-homer game was the 21st multi-home run game of his career, and four of those have been launched at Coors.
Glasnow was superb. He gave up one run on two hits over seven innings, striking out seven and walking two. Colorado scored its lone run off Glasnow in the fourth on a leadoff double by Mickey Moniak, who scored on Troy Johnston’s groundout to third.
“(Glasnow) is good, he’s really good,” Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer said. “He threw a curveball that was sharp, and he threw it a ball or two beneath the zone — consistently. We just couldn’t square him up today.”
Actually, the Rockies have never squared up Glasnow. In three career appearances (two starts) against the Rockies, the right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA, 19 strikeouts and just three walks.
The Dodgers continue to own the Rockies. Dating back to last season, the Rockies are 2-12 against Big Blue (2-7 at Coors, 0-6 in L.A). Colorado is 12-41 against L.A. since its last series win against the Dodgers on June 27-29, 2022.
Rockies right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano was solid in his first three starts, posting a 2.16 ERA and a 0.78 WHIP. But the Dodgers beat him up Friday night, scoring five runs on nine hits over four innings. Sugano allowed a career-high five extra-base hits and needed 91 pitches, and threw just 51 strikes.
He acknowledged the Coors Field cold, but didn’t use it as an excuse.
“It was, no doubt, one of the coldest outings I’ve had in my career, ” Sugano said, using Yuto Sakuri as his interpreter. “I don’t want to use it as an excuse because the (opposing) hitters are in the same conditions.”
The first inning provided a strong indication that Sugano was in trouble. Shohei Ohtani led off with a double and scored on Will Smith’s sacrifice fly to deep center. Ohtani extended his on-base streak to 49 games, the fourth longest in franchise history.
Freddie Freeman ripped a double to right-center before Sugano struck out Teoscar Hernandez to get out of the inning.
Dollander’s role. Starter-turned-reliever Chase Dollander was brilliant in Colorado’s 3-2 win at Houston Thursday night, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be a full-time starter any time soon. Manager Warren Schaeffer said Friday that he’ll continue to use an “opener” ahead of Dollander.
Why? Routine and to avoid being overexposed by facing the top of the batting order.
“I’m more than comfortable with where he’s at because he’s having a lot of success doing it,” Schaeffer said. “He’s settled into a routine, and routines are very different from being in the bullpen and starting. Obviously, we want him to be a starter, long-term. But right now we don’t want to mess with the routine.”
As for strategy, Schaeffer said: “The third time through the lineup, he’s not facing the top four hitters, which is a big deal. It’s the main reason why you open with anybody.”
Against the Astros, Dollander entered the game in the first inning, pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings, and struck out a career-high nine. He gave up one run and walked two. On Friday, Dollander said he’s “ready for any role I’m asked to fill.”
Injury updates. Lefty starter Kyle Freeland, who’s on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation, underwent an MRI on Friday. The results were encouraging, and the lefty’s stint on the IL should not be a long one. He’s eligible to come off the IL on April 28.
Infielder Willi Castro, hit by a pitch on his right hand on Wednesday night, was out of the lineup again on Friday. However, he’s able to grip the bat better and should return soon.
Pitching probables
Saturday: Dodgers RHP Emmet Sheehan (2-0, 6.60 ERA) at Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (1-1, 7.30), 6:10 p.m.
Sunday: Dodgers RHP Roki Sasaki (0-2, 6.23) at Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (1-2, 8.10), 1:10 p.m.
Monday: Dodgers LHP Justin Wrobleski (2-0, 2.12) at Rockies LHP Jose Quintana (0-1, 5.63), 6:40 p.m.
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: 850 AM & 94.1 FM
