Martinez helps power Dodgers past Rockies 14-3 after a severe weather delay

By DENNIS GEORGATOS
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — J.D. Martinez had four hits, including his 19th home run to highlight a six-run fourth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers came out swinging after the game’s start was delayed nearly two hours by severe weather, beating the Colorado Rockies 14-3 on Thursday night.

Martinez continued his torrid batting at Coors Field, extending his hitting streak to 11 games at the park, where he is a career .444 hitter (28 for 63).

Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman each had a pair of hits and drove in three runs. Mookie Betts and Jason Heyward both doubled twice, helping the Dodgers take the series 2-1 while establishing season highs in runs and hits in a game (18) after seeing the field swamped with rain and a coating of hail.

“We were all saying we’re here, we might as well go for it,” Freeman said. “We were all ready to roll, and it was nice having a very young pitcher on the mound. He was ready to roll, too. The bats came out hot, J.D, Mookie, everyone. Everyone swung the bat really well today.” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts credited the grounds crew at Coors Field for getting the field in playing shape and his players for coming out focused after the long delay.

“It was really bleak as far as potentially playing but you know, to the guys’ credit, to (rookie starter) Emmet (Sheehan) not being fazed by the delay, and to all of our guys, for being ready to play a big league game,” Roberts said. “So, it’s going to be a late night but we’ll sleep a lot better knowing we won a series.”

Elías Díaz had three RBIs on a single and sacrifice fly for the Rockies, who fell to 5-17 against fellow NL West teams, including 1-4 against the Dodgers this season.

Sheehan (2-0) went five innings and allowed three runs on seven hits for his second consecutive win.

Chase Anderson, who was tagged for nine runs on 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings as part of the Rockies’ 25-1 loss last Saturday to the Los Angeles Angels, could not get through the fourth against the Dodgers. Anderson (0-3) gave up six runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings. “I felt like my stuff was good tonight,” Anderson said. “The velo was back. I had six strikeouts, so there were some positives to take away from that. I know that the stuff I have is well equipped to pitch at this level, and pitch deep in games. But the last three have been some tough outings. I just have to continue to work.”

The Dodgers put up runs in six of the first seven innings. Down 3-2 going into the top of the fourth, the Dodgers broke through for six runs to go in front by five runs. Betts, who doubled and scored in each of his first two off RBI singles by Martinez, drove in the inning’s first run with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly off Anderson.

Freeman followed with a go-ahead RBI single and Anderson was relieved by Peter Lambert, who was greeted by Muncy’s two-run double and Martinez’s homer, a two-run drive that cleared the right field wall.

HAIL TO THE GROUNDS CREW

A thunderous burst of rain and hail in the late afternoon left most of the outfield at Coors Field covered in an icy white sheet and both teams’ dugouts inundated. But groundskeepers using shovels and squeegees scooped the hail pellets off the field and cleared the flooded dugouts. They also used blowers, some mounted on their backs and others towed by small tractors, to dry the field and get it into playing shape. Their work allowed the game to start after a delay of 1 hour, 50 minutes.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw is dealing with some inflammation in his left shoulder but remains hopeful he can make his next scheduled start on Monday. He felt some tenderness in the shoulder in his winning outing Tuesday at Colorado, leaving after six innings of one-hit ball. He said he was checked out by doctors Wednesday and was given a shot to relieve inflammation. Roberts said he still has Kershaw penciled in for his next start, but won’t push it if he’s not ready. “We’re not going to put him in harm’s way,” Roberts said.

Rockies: OF/INF Kris Bryant has returned from a one-game rehab assignment at Triple-A Albuquerque and could be reinstated from the 10-day injured list as soon as Friday. Bryant has been sidelined since June 1 with a left heel bruise.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: RHP Bobby Miller (3-1, 4.13 ERA) is slated to start Friday night’s interleague series opener at Kansas City.

Rockies: The Rockies open an interleague series Friday night against Detroit with LHP Austin Gomber (5-7, 7.01 ERA) taking the mound. The Tigers counter with RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-5, 3.97 ERA).