LOS ANGELES (AP) — Julio Urías matched his career high with 12 strikeouts over seven innings of four-hit ball, and Miguel Rojas homered and drove in four runs in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ season-high eighth consecutive victory, 8-3 over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
Mookie Betts broke it open with a two-run double in the sixth for the Dodgers, who have won 12 of 13 to surge 8 1/2 games ahead of San Francisco in the race for their 10th NL West title in 11 seasons. Rojas matched his season high in RBIs by driving in one run in each of his four plate appearances.
Urías (10-6) struck out seven consecutive Rockies and eight of nine during his final three innings of work, blowing through Colorado's lineup after a mediocre start to his afternoon. While recording his third consecutive victory and fifth in his last seven starts, the left-hander produced Los Angeles' first start of the season with at least 10 strikeouts and no walks.
Los Angeles allowed just six total runs and 18 hits during its first four-game series sweep of the Rockies since September 2016, the weekend of Vin Scully’s final home game in the Dodgers’ broadcast booth.
Alan Trejo hit a two-run homer for the Rockies, who have lost five straight.
Pinch-hitter Cole Tucker had an RBI single for Colorado in the third after replacing Jurickson Profar, who ran into the left field wall while making an impressive catch on Betts’ long line drive to end the second. Profar twisted his left knee, the Rockies said.
Kyle Freeland (4-13) yielded six hits and four runs over five innings. The Denver native is winless in 14 consecutive starts since May 14.
Amed Rosario doubled and scored in the second inning on a single by Max Muncy, who eventually scored when Brendan Rodgers dropped Rojas' infield-fly-rule popup in the sun.
Trejo, a Los Angeles-area native, tied it 3-3 in the fourth with only his second homer in 61 games this season. Rojas put the Dodgers back ahead a few minutes later with his second homer of the year.
Urías was visibly frustrated after his fourth inning, but he rebounded by striking out the side in the fifth and sixth.
Rojas got his third RBI on a flyout in the sixth before Betts' double broke it open. Rojas added another sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Freddie Freeman went 0 for 4 and had back-to-back hitless games for the first time in four weeks since July 15-16.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: Profar was down on the warning track for at least two minutes before he was helped to the Rockies' nearby bullpen. He needed help to make it off the field on his injured knee. He will be reevaluated later, the team said.
Dodgers: RHP Joe Kelly went on the injured list with right forearm inflammation. The reliever is 1-0 in four appearances with no runs allowed and seven strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings since his return to Los Angeles last month. The move is retroactive to Aug. 10. ... Slugger J.D. Martinez wasn't in the starting lineup, but was available to pinch-hit. Manager Dave Roberts said Martinez will play against Milwaukee on Tuesday. Martinez hasn't played since Aug. 6 due to a nagging left groin injury.
UP NEXT
Rockies: Chris Flexen (1-5, 7.92 ERA) takes the mound in Denver on Monday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks to open a six-game homestand.
Dodgers: After a day off, the homestand continues when Bobby Miller (6-2, 3.89) takes the mound Tuesday night against NL Central-leading Milwaukee.
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