Rockies 6, Dodgers 3: Playoff hopes still alive

The hope is still alive. Rocktober can still happen in 2020.

The Colorado Rockies avoided a sweep Sunday with a 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. It was just the third win for Colorado in its past 12 games, but there’s still an outside chance at making the expanded postseason.

The Rockies are now 23-29 with eight games left. Four teams — the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants and New York Mets — stand between Colorado and the eighth and final playoff spot in the National League. The Reds, who sit three games ahead of the Rockies, currently sit in eighth place.

The win didn’t come without drama, however. Despite a 6-1 ninth-inning lead, the Dodgers brought the tying run to the plate — but Mychal Givens came on and threw just one pitch to pick up his first save in a Rockies uniform.

Senzatela shines again

Antonio Senzatela is looking more and more like an ace. The right-hander looked great again Sunday, throwing 6 ¹⁄₃ sharp innings. He left in the seventh inning after walking two straight batters, and Yency Almonte allowed a two-out hit to allow Senzatela’s only earned run to score. He improved to 5-2 this season and lowered his ERA to 3.13 (a team-best among its starters). Senzatela finished 2020 with an incredible 2.10 ERA at Coors Field.

Senzatela outdueled Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin, who struck out 10 Rockies over his five innings of work. The rookie right-hander has not allowed more than three runs in any of his eight starts this season — but Colorado has won both games he’s started against it.

Senzatela was also (not surprisingly) the recipient of some stellar defense Sunday, including a fantastic throw and tag by Raimel Tapia and Trevor Story in the second inning. Cody Bellinger was caught trying to stretch a double into a triple, but it didn’t work out too well for him.

Rockies closer Daniel Bard came on to pitch out of a jam in the eighth inning, but he pitched himself into his own jam in the ninth inning. He allowed two runs to score and left the game with two runners on before Givens bailed him out.

Fuentes sparks offense

It’s hard to believe that Josh Fuentes hasn’t been Colorado’s starting first baseman all season, but he proved once again Sunday why he belongs there. Fuentes went 3-for-4 in the game — but it was his bases-loaded, two-run single in the fourth inning that got things going for the Rockies.

Fuentes added an RBI single in the sixth inning and improved his batting average to .348 this season. He also flashed the leather with a double-play inducing snag in the fifth inning.

Up next

The Rockies will head to San Francisco on Monday to start a four-game series against the Giants. Germán Márquez (2-6, 4.33 ERA) will start for the Rockies, and Johnny Cueto (2-1, 4.78) is set to start for the Giants. First pitch is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. MT.