DENVER _ Coors Field in 2019 is not where low-scoring affairs are born. Especially on hot afternoons when the temperature at first pitch is in the mid-80s. Especially when the two teams operate the highest-scoring offenses in the National League and a livelier ball is bouncing around the diamond. The thin air breeds slugfests and long days and nightmares for pitchers in any weather. Hot summer days only multiply the chances.
But a low-scoring affair, against the odds, surfaced for eight innings Wednesday. Hyun-Jin Ryu and German Marquez exchanged zeroes for six frames until exiting for different reasons and passing the pitchers' duel off to their bullpens. The oddity wasn't forever.
It took until the ninth inning, but the Rockies' relief corps blinked first and succumbed to a sudden barrage in the Dodgers' 5-1 win.
Will Smith supplied the first blow, a three-run home run off Rockies closer Wade Davis to break the scoreless tie five weeks after he smacked a walk-off three-run home run against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Alex Verdugo followed with a single for his fourth hit of the day before Kristopher Negron, a recently minted Dodger, clubbed a two-run home run. Negron joined the Dodgers (71-39) on Monday without a home run in the majors since 2014. He has two in starts as a Dodger.
Davis was pulled and booed off the field after Negron's blast. Two years ago, Davis was an All-Star closer for the World Series champion Chicago Cubs. This season, he owns a 6.82 earned-run average. It is an example of relievers' volatility distilled to its purest form.
The Rockies (50-58) nearly broke the scoreless draw in the third inning. Tony Wolters hit a one-out double off Ryu before trying to score from second base on Charlie Blackmon's two-out single to right field. The attempt proved futile. Cody Bellinger fired a strike home to get Wolters for his ninth outfield assist this season. Only one outfielder in the majors _ Leury Garcia of the Chicago White Sox _ has accrued more.
Colorado put two runners on base on a double and walk in the fourth, but Ryu escaped again. He retired the next seven batters in a row and emerged from the sixth inning with 80 pitches. He was breezing through the potent Rockies lineup efficiently, with little trouble. But his day did not continue. Pedro Baez replaced him for the seventh inning.
Pitching for the first time at Coors Field since giving up seven runs in four innings June 28, Ryu held the Rockies without a run despite striking out just one batter. He gave up three hits and walked one. His league-best ERA improved to 1.66. He allowed four earned runs in 32 2/3 innings in July, good for a 1.10 ERA across five starts.
Marquez matched him and was sent out to pitch the seventh inning. But he exited while warming up and needed help getting off the field. The Rockies said he departed with "full body cramping."
Jake McGee relieved Marquez and walked the leadoff hitter before retiring the next three batters. Scott Oberg entered to pitch the eighth inning and confronted danger, but got Max Muncy to fly out with the bases loaded to maneuver out of the pickle.
