DENVER (AP) — Julio Urías became the first 12-game winner in the majors, Will Smith drove in four runs and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the coronavirus-compromised Colorado Rockies 10-4 on Friday night.
The Rockies were without manager Bud Black and five other team members due to health and safety protocols and contact tracing.
“Obviously they’re dealing with some things and for us to be nimble and be ready for whatever is thrown at us is important,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
News of the outbreak came a day after Boston’s scheduled game in New York was postponed because of positive COVID-19 tests among Yankees players. Boston and New York did play Friday night.
In addition to Black, first base coach Ron Gideon and four Rockies players were not available Friday. Right-hander Antonio Senzatela was scheduled to start but was added to the COVID-19 injured list instead, along with fellow pitchers Yency Almonte and Jhoulys Chacín, and outfielder Yonathan Daza.
Bench coach Mike Redmond served as acting manager.
“What was craziest was we really didn’t know who was going to pitch, if we were going to play or not, what was going to happen,” Smith said.
Mookie Betts had three hits and scored twice, and All-Star Chris Taylor hit a three-run homer for the Dodgers. Every starter in the lineup had at least one hit and scored.
“Mookie got us started and guys behind him followed suit,” Roberts said. “Julio set the tone early, attacking those guys. All the way up and down the lineup I thought we had good at-bats.”
Chi Chi González (3-6) was slated to start Saturday night but was informed Thursday he would be moved up to Friday. The Dodgers scored five runs off him in the first inning, three on Taylor’s 11th homer of the season, and two more in the fourth.
“I didn’t have much feel for my slider; that’s what he hit out, a hanging slider,” González said. “Feel for my pitches weren’t the best today.”
C.J. Cron hit a grand slam for Colorado in the third inning, but Urías (12-3) didn’t allow another run in 5 2/3 innings. He also had a single and scored.
“Just a first-pitch heater, kind of down and in. I dropped the head on it and it went out,” Cron said
Los Angeles added three runs in the fifth off reliever Justin Lawrence.
KERSHAW UPDATE
Los Angeles lefty Clayton Kershaw (left forearm) has been sidelined since July 7 and is likely going to remain on the injured list until mid-August. Roberts said it made sense to give Kershaw a respite.
“Not sure when he’s going to play catch again but we’re going to take this time to give him a breather,” Roberts said. “It made some sense to cut some of the season off and save some bullets for the rest of the season and throughout the postseason.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: SS Corey Seager (right hand) will play a simulated game Saturday at Camelback Ranch, the team’s spring training site. Roberts said Seager will play five or six innings and get three at-bats.
Rockies: LHP Austin Gomber (left forearm tightness) made a rehab start for Triple-A Albuquerque, allowing three runs and five hits in four innings. Gomber was placed on the 10-day injured list June 20.
SHERFY ACTIVE
Los Angeles added reliever Jimmie Sherfy to the active roster and the right-hander pitched the ninth inning. Sherfy was claimed off waivers from San Francisco on Tuesday a week after he was designated for assignment.
The 29-year-old Sherfy was 1-0 with a 4.22 ERA in 10 games with the Giants.
UP NEXT
RHP Walker Buehler (9-1, 2.36 ERA) will make his second start of the season against Colorado and face Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-3, 5.48) on Saturday.
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