Dodgers’ finishing kick boots Rockies

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By Jon Weisman

Clayton Kershaw had a snakebit fourth inning today and couldn’t get out of the sixth, but the Dodgers again asserted their late-inning strength to come away with a 9-5 victory at Colorado.

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• After Kershaw allowed five runs in the fourth, Adrian Gonzalez’s bases-loaded double tied the game in the top of the fifth. Gonzalez had two doubles against lefty Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa.
• Replacing Kershaw with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the sixth, Pedro Baez struck out Rockies star Troy Tulowitzki. In his past seven outings, Baez has a 0.00 ERA and stranded all eight inherited runners, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out nine in 7 1/3 innings.
• Reserve utilityman Kiké Hernandez started the eighth inning with a single, and after an A.J. Ellis sacrifice, super-reserve utilityman Justin Turner (batting for Baez) hit his fifth homer in 52 at-bats this season. That started a four-run inning that was capped by Gonzalez’s sacrifice fly to short.
• Rookie lefty Adam Liberatore retired all four batters he faced. Incredibly, Liberatore has now faced 27 batters in his MLB career and retired 26 of them.
• Yimi Garcia finished things up by striking out the last two batters of the game. Garcia (0.63 ERA) has faced 52 batters this season, allowing four singles and four walks while striking out 23.

Joc Pederson had three of the Dodgers’ 10 walks, while Jimmy Rollins (who scored on the sac fly to short), Howie Kendrick and Chris Heisey also reached base three times apiece. With 14 doubles and 29 RBI, Gonzalez is tied for the National League lead in both categories.

The Dodgers (20-10) extended their NL West lead to a season-high 4 1/2 games.