LOS ANGELES — Like your Wi-Fi router, whatever spell the Colorado Rockies had cast over the Los Angeles Dodgers has limited range.
The Dodgers lost four of their first six games against the Rockies this season, all at Coors Field, before hosting them at Dodger Stadium on Monday night. Trayce Thompson broke the spell with a three-run home run in a four-run fifth inning and the Dodgers went on to a 5-3 victory.
Whatever difficulties the Dodgers have had in Denver, they have beaten the Rockies 26 of the past 35 times at Dodger Stadium.
They were slow to come online Monday. Rockies starter Kyle Freeland retired the first 13 Dodgers batters in order. Only one ball left the infield in that time — a fly out to left field by Will Smith in the second inning.
Freeland toggled through his five-pitch mix, getting at least one swing-and-miss with four of the five, the Dodgers opting to take 10 of the first 12 changeups he threw. It had the look of the three-hit shutout spun by Chad Kuhl against the Dodgers at Coors Field just a week ago.
But Justin Turner ended the perfect game with one out in the fifth, shooting a single to right field (the first of three hits in the game for him). Chris Taylor drew a walk bringing up Thompson.
In his first at-bat against Freeland, Thompson had crushed a long fly ball down the left field line that curved foul into the upper deck. He eventually popped out to end that at-bat.
The second time, Thompson’s timing was even better. He was all over a full-count slider, driving it into the left field seats as well — this time on the fair side of the foul pole.
In 13 games since rejoining the Dodgers in a trade with the Detroit Tigers, Thompson has gone 10 for 35 with three doubles, two home runs and eight RBI.
Cody Bellinger followed with a ground-rule double down the right-field line and scored two batters later on a two-out RBI single by Mookie Betts (3 for 7 since his return from the injured list).
That was enough offensive support for Julio Urias. The Dodgers left-hander went six strong innings, making just one mistake. Jose Iglesias golfed a down-and-in curveball just over the left-field wall for a solo home run.
Over his past six starts, Urias has a 2.08 ERA while holding opposing batters to a .177 average — burnishing his All-Star worthy credentials.
The Dodgers scored again in the seventh when Bellinger led off with a walk and scored from first on Trea Turner’s two-out double. But the Rockies scored twice in the ninth (one on a C.J. Cron homer) before the Dodgers could close it out without Craig Kimbrel, still recovering from the line drive to his back in Sunday’s loss.
Taylor left the game after six innings with left ankle swelling. He missed Sunday’s game after fouling a ball off his foot on Saturday.
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