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The Dodgers brought their hitting shoes to Denver, with one more game to go in the opening weekend series against the Rockies. They’ve matched a 43-year-old club record in the process, but have been prolific even by Coors Field standards.
In Saturday’s 6-5 win over Colorado, the Dodgers had 12 hits, their lowest output of the weekend. They matched a franchise record for most consecutive games with at least a dozen hits to start a season, also done in 1978, when the Dodgers opened in Atlanta.
The biggest hit on Saturday was by Zach McKinstry, whose first major league home run was a thrilling, inside-the-park shot. After playing second base and left field in reserve in his first two appearances this weekend, McKinstry gets the start at second on Sunday.
Dodgers-Rockies lineups
| Pos | Dodgers | Pos | Rockies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Dodgers | Pos | Rockies |
| RF | Betts | LF | Owings |
| LF | Pollock | 3B | Fuentes |
| 3B | Turner | SS | Story |
| C | Smith | RF | Blackmon (L) |
| 1B | Muncy (L) | 1B | Cron |
| CF | Taylor | C | Díaz |
| SS | Lux (L) | 2B | McMahon (L) |
| 2B | McKinstry (L) | CF | Hampson |
| P | Urías (L) | P | Gomber (L) |
McKinstry’s start will be in front of his parents, who made the trip to Denver for the final three games of the series, after not getting to see him play in person during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. This weekend, they got to see a game-winning homer from their son, now a start.
“The timing just happened to work out,” McKinstry said Saturday. “They wanted to come see me play the first chance they had.”
McKinstry, who doubled on Thursday, is tied for the Dodgers team lead with two extra-base hits, matching Will Smith, Max Muncy, Gavin Lux, Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, and Mookie Betts.
With McKinstry at second, Lux shifts to shortstop in place of Seager, who gets a planned day off after reaching base 12 times in his 16 plate appearances.
Getting his chance at a third position in three games is Chris Taylor, who started in left field on Thursday, in right field on Saturday, and is in center field Sunday in place of a resting Bellinger.
Should the Dodgers keep their 12-hit streak going, they would at least match their most hits ever in a series in Denver. They had 55 hits in a four-game series from June 9-12, 2011, and enter Sunday with 43 hits in the first three games.
The Dodgers have had 50 hits in a series in Denver two other times: 53 hits from June 27-30, 1996 at Coors Field, and 52 hits from May 16-19, 1994 at Mile High Stadium.
Game info
- Teams: Dodgers at Rockies
- Location: Coors Field
- Time: 12:10 p.m. PT
- TV: SportsNet LA