The Dodgers had every right to feel confident Tuesday night with Clayton Kershaw on the mound against the Rockies. After all, Kershaw had not allowed an earned run in each of his last three starts. However, Jhoulys Chacin started for Colorado, and he hadn't given up anything yet to the Dodgers this season.
On April 5 in Colorado, Chacin beat Kershaw and the Dodgers thanks to seven scoreless innings. Then on June 10, again at Coors Field, Chacin pitched eight scoreless frames, leading the Rockies to a 6-5 win (the Dodgers rallied down 6-0 in the ninth, but fell just short). Tonight, Chacin allowed no runs through the first three innings, extending his streak to 18 scoreless stanzas against the Dodgers until the fifth inning.
However, that streak is now done, thanks to a little help from the Rockies corner outfielders. Rafael Furcal popped out to left field to open the bottom of the fourth inning, but Ty Wigginton's one-handed attempt went wrong -- much to the dismay of Vin Scully on the broadcast ("I never saw Joe DiMaggio catch a ball two-handed," Scully said) -- allowing Furcal to reach second base. After Andre Ethier walked, Matt Kemp doubled to the gap in right field to plate two runs. Then, with one out, Juan Rivera popped out to shallow right field, only Ryan Spilborghs got a very late jump on the ball. He was coming in as second baseman Mark Ellis was going out, and the result was Ellis catching the ball then tripping over the sliding Spillborghs, allowing Kemp to trot home easily from third.
Sure, only one of the three runs were earned in the bottom of the fourth. But the Dodgers will take it, considering the 18 straight zeros they had put up against Chacin.
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