Chris Taylor hit a high-arching, solo home run to left field in the 10th inning, lifting the Dodgers to a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies that extended Los Angeles’ NL West lead to 1 ½ games on Tuesday night.
Taylor raised his right arm in the air even before he rounded first base, watching the ball sail into the cool evening air off Adam Ottavino (6-4).
Taylor was mobbed by his teammates at home plate as they bopped up and down in celebration. A day after moving past the Rockies into first place, the defending NL champions matched their largest lead of the season on Taylor’s one-out drive.
The Dodgers won the series opener 8-2 on homers by Joc Pederson and Max Muncy.
Dylan Floro (6-3) got the win by striking out two in the 10th.
Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw gave up two runs and three hits in seven innings. He walked five and struck out three.
Kenta Maeda relieved Kershaw and struck out the side in the eighth. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth, allowing a leadoff hit to Gerardo Parra before retiring the next three batters.
Rockies starter Kyle Freeland allowed two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked four.
The Dodgers tied it 2-all in the fifth when Austin Barnes scored on a throwing error by third baseman Nolan Arenado.
Colorado took a 2-1 lead on Charlie Blackmon’s 27th homer in the fifth.
The Rockies tied it 1-all in the third on errors by third baseman Justin Turner and left fielder Taylor. DJ LeMahieu was safe at first when the ball went past Turner’s glove, which allowed Garrett Hampson to take third and Blackmon to advance to second. The ball went into left field where Taylor couldn’t field it cleanly, allowing Hampson to score.
The Dodgers led 1-0 on Matt Kemp’s RBI single in the first.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: SS Trevor Story has inflammation in his right elbow, but there’s no structural damage and it’s possible he can return to the lineup in a few days. He tweaked his elbow on a throw in the first inning Monday night and aggravated it on a swing in the fourth.
UP NEXT
LHP Tyler Anderson (6-9, 4.82 ERA) starts the series finale for the Rockies. He held the Giants to two runs over six innings in his last outing after overcoming mechanical issues. RHP Walker Buehler (7-5, 2.88) goes for the Dodgers. He’s coming off an eight-inning, nine-strikeout performance against St. Louis.
