Tony Gwynn, Pinch Hit RBI Machine

For the second time in three games, Tony Gwynn Jr. delivered the go-ahead run as a pinch hitter, helping the Dodgers to a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. Gwynn singled to left field in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring James Loney from second base with the winning run.

Gwynn had a pinch-hit three-run triple that gave the Dodgers a 4-2 lead Wednesday night against Tim Lincecum and the Giants.

Aaron Harang only struck out two Rockies on Saturday - he has 15 strikeouts in his five starts since striking out 13 Padres on April 13 - but also went far deeper into the game than he had all year. Harang pitched eight innings, allowing a run on four hits.

The only run allowed by Harang came off the bat of Tyler Colvin, who crushed a ball into the right field pavilion in the seventh inning. It was the second consecutive night that the Rockies scored their first run on a solo home run with two outs in the seventh inning.

Harang gave up two doubles in the top of the third inning yet managed to get out of the inning unscathed. That was due in large part to James Loney, who made a diving stop of a sharp grounder by Marco Scutaro then threw home to erase Wilin Rosario, who was trying to score from third base.

It was a tough night for Rosario, who was thrown out twice on the bases, including getting caught stealing in the top of the fifth.

Juan Nicasio was pretty great for the Rockies, allowing just one run on five hits in seven innings, with a new Rockies season high of nine strikeouts. The only run off Nicasio came in the fifth inning, when Andre Ethier led off with a booming double to the right center field gap, then scored one out later on a bloop single to center by Juan Uribe.

With Ethier on first base in the bottom of the seventh, Uribe nearly drove home Ethier again, but his bid for a second home run in as many nights died in the night air of Dodger Stadium and fell into the waiting glove of Tyler Colvin in center field on the center field warning track. Colvin also caught a pair of deep flies by Matt Kemp, including one to end the fourth inning that he caught at the wall.

Josh Outman, who was just recalled by the Rockies on Friday, did not record an out in the eighth inning and suffered the loss in his 2012 debut.

Notes

• The opt out date for the minor league contract for Aaron Miles is June 30, per Tony Jackson of ESPN LA, meaning if Miles is not added to the active roster by that date he can decide to become a free agent if he so chooses.
• A.J. Ellis was 1-for-2 with a sacrifice on the night and saw a 3-2 count in 30 of his 101 plate appearances (29.7%). On the season, Ellis has seen 30 full counts in 100 PA. The MLB as a whole sees a full count in 12.8% of their PA.
• Dee Gordon went 0-for-4 on the night and is in an 0-for-14 slump.
• The Dodgers have won three straight games and are 14-3 at home this season.
  

Tonight's Particulars

Home Runs: Tyler Colvin (3)

WP - Aaron Harang (2-2): 8 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts

LP - Josh Outman (0-1): 1 batter, 1 hit, 1 run

Sv - Kenley Jansen (3): 1 IP, 1 strikeout