The Los Angeles Dodgers used a balanced attack of timely hitting and decent pitching on Sunday to defeat the Colorado Rockies 8-3, securing the series sweep and maintaining a healthy 8-1/2 game lead over the second place San Francisco Giants in the National League West.
The victory was the eighth straight for the Dodgers and their 12th win over their last 13 games.
Lefty starter Julio Urias was solid for Los Angeles in Sunday’s finale, throwing seven strong innings and allowing three earned runs on four hits with 12 strikeouts. The Dodgers used a southpaw attack all day, trusting Alex Vesia and Victor Gonzalez in the final two frames to secure the victory.
Designated hitter Amed Rosario and right fielder Mookie Betts both had two hits apiece for Los Angeles. One of the game’s big blows came in the bottom of the fourth when Miguel Rojas hit a solo shot to left field to break a 3-3 tie. Betts delivered the clincher with a double to center field in the sixth, scoring max Muncy and Chris Taylor and stretching the lead to 7-3.
The series victory was expected over the Rockies, who fell to 45-73 and now trail the Dodgers by 26-1/2 games in the division.
Next up for Los Angeles is a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers beginning Tuesday, as the Dodgers continue the season’s longest homestand. The Brewers lead the Cubs for first place in a tightly contested National League central by 3-1/2 games and are coming off a sweep of their own against the White Sox.
Tentatively starting for Los Angeles are Bobby Miller, Clayton Kershaw and Lance Lynn, respectively. Going for Milwaukee are right-hander Adrian Houser, lefty Wade Miley and righty Corbin Burnes.
Earlier this season, the Dodgers took two out of three against the brewers in Milwaukee, highlighted by a strong seven-inning performance from Kershaw.
It’s tough to really gauge the outlook for the Dodgers right now because there’s still plenty of action left in the season, and the club has show previous tendencies of inconsistencies. The overall offense can become dry at times, which is a huge concern with guys like Rosario and Muncy sitting in the middle of the lineup.
Rosario has been decent since arriving in Los Angeles, but his overall .694 OPS this year shows the type of offensive player he can be over the long haul, leading many to wonder if he’s a legitimate threat near the top of the order. Muncy remains one of the streakiest hitters in the MLB with a .194 average.
With a healthy rotation, Los Angeles rivals other clubs for one of the top five or six starting fives in the National League. It’s difficult to say how far this club can go with this roster, especially if the offense goes dry and the bullpen falters in the opening rounds of the postseason.