The Los Angeles Dodgers secured a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday, clinching the series with a go-ahead RBI single from Mookie Betts in the eighth inning. The win, which averted a potentially embarrassing series loss to the last-place Rockies, maintained the Dodgers' league-best record.
Roki Sasaki, the Dodgers' starting pitcher, allowed three runs over six innings. He surrendered an early 3-0 lead, giving up two home runs in the second inning and a sacrifice fly in the third. However, Sasaki regrouped in the fourth inning, escaping a jam with back-to-back strikeouts and retiring the next six batters he faced. His performance marked a much-needed rebound after a difficult outing the previous week.
The Dodgers' bullpen later navigated a precarious situation in the top of the eighth, with Tanner Scott ultimately closing out the game with a ninth-inning save.
The Dodgers' offense initially jumped on debuting Rockies starter Gabriel Hughes, scoring three runs in the first inning. However, Hughes settled in and retired 15 consecutive batters. The turning point came in the bottom of the eighth when Tommy Edman and Freddie Freeman hit consecutive singles, setting the stage for Betts. Despite being in an 0-2 count, Betts fouled off several pitches before driving a sinker into center field to break the 3-3 tie.
With the win, the Dodgers (61-33) extended their series victory streak to five. They hold a two-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers for the top seed in the National League and a 6.5-game advantage over the Atlanta Braves for a first-round bye.
Sasaki's outing was considered a quality start, snapping a four-start stretch where his ERA exceeded 10.00. He enters the All-Star break with a 3-5 record and a 5.33 ERA.
The Dodgers will begin the final weekend before the All-Star break with a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, with Shohei Ohtani scheduled to start Friday's opener.