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The Dodgers were one strike away from a very frustrating second loss of the day, but Alex Guerrero hit a grand slam just inches over the outstretched glove of Charlie Blackmon in center field, lifting the Dodgers to a 9-8 win over the Rockies in the nightcap of their doubleheader on Tuesday at Coors Field.
Guerrero's home run was his 10th of the season, and the Dodgers' second grand slam of the year. It was also just the 22nd grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning or later down three runs since 1955 (thanks to James Smyth for the research).
Alex Guerrero: 1st to hit a grand slam when down 3 runs with 2 outs and 2 strikes since Chris Hoiles, 1996 Orioles (via @eliassports)
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 3, 2015
That's about as close as you're going to get to a walk-off on the road.
— Brett Anderson (@BrettAnderson35) June 3, 2015
It was the fourth home run of the night by the Dodgers, joining Enrique Hernandez, Joc Pederson and Adrian Gonzalez, but all of that seemed for naught when Troy Tulowitzki took Yimi Garcia deep for a 7-5 Rockies lead in the seventh.
That lead grew to 8-5 before the ninth, when singles by Alberto Callaspo, Jimmy Rollins and Chris Heisey opened the ninth inning against Rafael Betancourt, who got Justin Turner to strike out and Pederson to pop out before facing Guerrero.
The Dodgers' first three home runs were all against Rockies starter David Hale, up from Triple-A Albuquerque as Colorado's 26th man on Tuesday. But for Zack Greinke, who hadn't allowed more than three runs in a game since last September, a span of 12 starts, the lead didn't hold up. He allowed two runs in third inning and another run in the fourth to cut the Dodgers lead to one.
With two outs in the sixth inning, the Rockies struck again with successive hits by Ben Paulsen, Nick Hundley (a double), and Brandon Barnes to score two runs and take a 5-4 lead.
Greinke got 11 ground ball outs on the night, but also allowed five runs and a season-high 10 hits in his six innings, with a season-low two strikeouts.
Josh Ravin, called up before the game, struck out his only batter faced in the eighth, his major league debut. The 27-year-old picked up his first major league win.
Kenley Jansen allowed his first hit of the season, putting the tying run on base, but he struck out two for his fifth save to close out the win.
Game 2 particulars
Home runs: Kiké Hernandez (2), Joc Pederson (16), Adrian Gonzalez (11), Alex Guerrero (10); Troy Tulowitzki (5)
WP - Josh Ravin (1-0) (1-2): ⅓ IP, 1 strikeout
LP - Rafael Betancourt (2-2): 1⅔ IP, 4 hits, 4 runs
Sv - Kenley Jansen (5): 1 IP, 1 hit, 2 strikeouts