Dodgers offense keeps rolling in win over Rockies

LOS ANGELES -- Production from the top of the order drove the Dodgers to a 6-3 win over the Rockies on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, giving the Dodgers six consecutive wins.

With the win, the Dodgers have beaten the Rockies eight straight times at Dodger Stadium, dating back to 2014.

The Dodgers have scored five or more runs in six straight games for the first time since May 17-22, 2012.

Leadoff man Jimmy Rollins doubled and reached base three times, Yasiel Puig in his first game back also doubled and reached base three times, Adrian Gonzalez drove in three runs, and cleanup man Howie Kendrick doubled twice and drove in two.

After a leadoff double by Kendrick in the second, Yasmani Grandal smoked a ball to right field to drive him home. Grandal's ball might have been a double were it not for Carlos Gonzalez cutting it off to hold him to a single. One out later, with Grandal still on first base instead of second, Colorado was able to turn two on Juan Uribe's ground out.

In the third inning the Dodgers loaded the bases with one out for Gonzalez, the hottest hitter on the planet in the first two weeks of the season. Gonzalez hit what should have been an inning-ending double play ground ball to shortstop, but after receiving the throw from shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, second baseman DJ LeMahieu bounced a throw to first allowing Gonzalez to reach and a run to score, giving the Dodgers the lead.

Two innings later Gonzalez got another shot at the bases loaded with one out and this time came through, crushing a ball to the wall in left center field that would have been a double were it not for Yasiel Puig not getting a proper read on the ball, staying at second. At any rate, the hit drove in two runs.

"You pretty much expect him to drive in a run, when goes are out there," manager Don Mattingly said. "It seems like every time we get a guy out there he's getting him in. He and Howie both have been a dynamic duo."

It also extended Gonzalez's hitting streak to 13 games, dating back to 2014, five games shy of his longest career hitting streak, set in 2012 with Boston.

With 23 hits on the season, Gonzalez matched Eric Karros (1995) for the most hits by a Dodger through 11 games of the season.

Those insurance runs were needed because Zack Greinke, though he retired nine straight at one point, ran into some trouble in the seventh. After a leadoff double by Nolan Arenado, he advanced to third base with one out in the inning. Manager Don Mattingly visited the mound, usually the sign of a hook, but he left Greinke in. Greinke struck out Nick Hundley for the second out of the inning, but then LeMahieu crushed a ball into the pavilion in left center field to cut the Dodgers' lead to 4-3.

"I wanted to see where he was at. He said he thought this was a good matchup for him, and he was right. Then the next one," Mattingly said, "you kind of kick yourself, thinking you left him in one batter too long."

LeMahieu is off to a hot start in his own right at .463 (19-for-41), if only to give me practice on spelling his last name correctly.

"That's probably the toughest lineup in the National League. Maybe our lineup is up there with it, but it's pretty good," Greinke said. "Especially through Dickerson, batting sixth. He's probably as good as anyone batting sixth. Even LeMahieu, who I don't think will hit .500 all year, but if he's your eight hitter that's pretty tough."

Non-Greinke Dodgers starting pitchers this season have allowed 13 home runs in eight starts, but that was Greinke's first allowed, his 20th inning of the season.

Doubles by Rollins, Puig and Kendrick in the eighth inning got those two runs back for the Dodgers, and provided the winning margin.

"He's a guy who if you put in situations to thrive, he's going to thrive," Gonzalez said. "He's showing that he's such a professional hitter, he's not trying to hit home runs. He's just taking what the pitcher gives to him, and executes."

The offense was rolling so well that even Juan Uribe, after reaching base twice on the night, stole second base in the eighth inning, his first stolen base since 2013.

Through 11 games, the Dodgers (8-3), now all alone in first place in the National League West, are hitting .278/.363/.486 as a team.

Up next

The Dodgers go for a second straight sweep and a seventh straight win on Sunday afternoon, with Brandon McCarthy starting the series finale. The Rockies counter with Eddie Butler.

Saturday particulars

Home run: DJ LeMahieu (1)

WP - Zack Greinke (2-0): 6⅔ IP, 5 hits, 3 runs, 1 walks, 3 strikeouts

LP - Jordan Lyles (1-1): 6 IP, 5 hits, 4 runs, 5 walks, 5 strikeouts

Sv - Joel Peralta (3): 1 IP, 1 walk