Dodgers get shut out by Chad Kuhl in Rockies opener

The Dodgers had one of their worst offensive performances ever in Denver, getting shut out by Chad Kuhl and the Rockies 4-0 on Monday night at Coors Field.

Unable to carry over their late-rallying ways from Sunday night in Atlanta, the Dodgers instead looked more like the team that didn’t score in the first eight innings of the series finale against the Braves.

Kuhl allowed only three hits in nine innings of work. One of the hits was an infield single by Gavin Lux in the third inning, but he was erased trying to advance to second on a flyout, thanks to a perfect throw from center fielder Yonathan Daza.

Lux got one past Daza in the ninth inning for a double, the Dodgers’ first extra-base hit and first runner in scoring position all night. Kuhl retired the next three batters in order to complete the shutout.

Kuhl’s shutout is the 27th by a pitcher at Coors Field, which opened in 1995, and the first since Germán Márquez last June. He’s the first pitcher to individually shut out the Dodgers in Denver.

Traveling after a night game, then playing the next day is never convenient, and it’s hard to know exactly how much that factored into Monday’s game, but the Dodgers were simply not sharp.

This was just the third such game for the Dodgers this season. They split the previous two, exploding for 14 runs on May 26 after the longest trip (Washington D.C. to Phoenix), but losing 5-1 on May 9 after a relatively short Chicago-to-Pittsburgh jaunt.

This is just the sixth time the Dodgers have been shutout in Denver by the Rockies, who are playing in their 30th season. The last time that happened on August 31, 2016, with Tyler Anderson on the mound for Colorado.

You knew after heavy bullpen usage the last two days in Atlanta, including six pitchers appearing on Sunday, the Dodgers were going to ride Anderson for as long as possible. He delivered in that regard, getting through six innings on 96 pitches.

After allowing two-out RBI singles in each of the first two frames, Anderson settled down a bit. He did allow 10 hits, tying his season high, but navigated through most of it until José Iglesias destroyed a pitch for a two-run home run in the sixth.

Anderson, who has been a bright spot for the Dodgers pitching staff this season and currently leads the team with 78 innings, suffered his first loss of 2022.

Monday particulars

Home run: Jose Iglesias (1)

WP — Chad Kuhl (5-5): 9 IP, 3 hits, 5 strikeouts

LP — Tyler Anderson (8-1): 6 IP, 10 hits, 4 runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts

Up next

Clayton Kershaw takes the ball in the middle game of the series (5:40 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA), with fellow southpaw Kyle Freeland pitching for the Rockiess.