Clayton Kershaw & Dodgers offense have rough night at Coors Field

Clayton Kershaw tied a career high with three home runs allowed, and the Dodgers offense continued its aversion to scoring runs at Coors Field in a 4-2 loss to the Rockies on Saturday night in Denver.

The game was a pitchers’ duel into the sixth inning, with both Kershaw and Jon Gray allowing solo home runs for their opponents only runs. Nolan Arenado took Kershaw deep in the first inning, and Andrew Toles did his damage in the fifth inning.

The home run allowed to Arenado came on a curveball, and Kershaw fired a better curve at the Rockies slugger in the sixth inning. The result with Arenado out in front was a soft pop fly, but in the spacious Coors Field outfield and outfielders playing deep it fell for a fly ball single.

Mark Reynolds followed with a bomb to center field, a two-run shot that gave the Rockies a 3-1 lead. Gerardo Parra, who made two fine catches earlier in the game to rob Corey Seager and Yasiel Puig, respectively, of hits, followed with a solo shot to center of his own.

It marked the first time in Kershaw’s career that he allowed back-to-back home runs.

It was just the third time that Kershaw allowed three home runs in a start. The first of those games was May 2, 2012, which before Saturday was the last time the Dodgers lost a game started by Kershaw at Coors Field.

The Dodgers still had some chances on offense. They had more walks (three) than strikeouts (one) against Gray, but weren’t able to get many balls in the air against him. He induced 10 ground ball outs in his 5⅓ innings.

They had leadoff doubles in both the seventh (Puig) and eighth innings (Gutierrez), but were only able to cash one of them in.

The Dodgers are 1-31 when scoring two or fewer runs at Coors Field, and their only win was a 2-1 victory in a game called by rain in the sixth inning in 2015.

Up next

Kenta Maeda takes the mound for the Dodgers in the series finale, a 12:10 p.m. PT start on Sunday, facing off against left-hander Tyler Anderson for the Rockies.

Saturday particulars

Home runs: Andrew Toles (1); Nolan Arenado (2), Mark Reynolds (3), Gerardo Parra (1)

WP - Mike Dunn (2-0): IP, 1 strikeout

LP - Clayton Kershaw (1-1): 6 IP, 8 hits, 4 runs, 6 strikeouts

Sv - Greg Holland (4): 1 IP, 2 strikeouts