Rosario homers as Rockies beat Dodgers 8-4
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}There was no shortage of young Colorado Rockies ready to step in and make up for outfielder Carlos Gonzalez being given a night off.
"I can't say enough as far as the importance of these guys doing what they are doing right now," Colorado manager Jim Tracy said. "The approach to our at-bats was we didn't try to do too much in any given situation and the at-bats that Wilin Rosario took tonight were very special."
Rosario homered among three hits and drove in three runs, Tyler Chatwood pitched five effective innings and the Rockies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-4 on Tuesday night.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We're playing to our abilities and there is no pressure on us," said Rosario, who already owns the franchise's season record for home runs by a catcher with 22. "You think that was good, you are just seeing the tip of the iceberg."
Andrew Brown had three hits for the Rockies, who have won eight of 10.
Hanley Ramirez homered for the Dodgers, who have lost three straight after winning their first game following a nine-player deal that brought Adrian Gonzalez and Josh Beckett to Los Angeles.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Dodgers lost Matt Kemp to a right knee contusion after he crashed hard into the wall in center field trying to chase down Josh Rutledge's triple in the first inning. He turned into the padding while running full speed and fell backward onto the warning track.
He stayed down for several minutes as team trainers checked him over. He got up, took a drink of water and initially stayed in the game.
Not for long.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The next batter, Jordan Pacheco, looped a double that Kemp laid out for but didn't catch. Rosario followed with a single to center to score Pacheco, and Kemp left after fielding the ball.
He left the ballpark to have precautionary X-rays on his jaw and an MRI on his knee, the Dodgers said. The team said he had no concussion symptoms.
The Rockies scored two more runs off Chris Capuano in the first on a single by Brown and a double by DJ LeMahieu to make it 4-0.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Dodgers got a run back on a sacrifice fly by A.J. Ellis in the second inning.
Rosario made it 5-1 with his 22nd homer in the third.
"He hits a breaking ball for a home run," Tracy said. "That tickled me to death."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rosario acknowledged he has seen a steady diet of curveballs over the last few months. Many have contributed to his 72 strikeouts.
"I was seeing breaking balls every time and every kind of pitch," Rosario said. "It was a problem at first, but I have worked hard to hit them."
Capuano (11-10) allowed six runs, 10 hits and struck out three in six innings. It was the second consecutive game he has allowed six earned runs.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Dodgers loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth but scored just one run on Adam Kennedy's double-play grounder.
Colorado padded the lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth and two more in the seventh off reliever Jamey Wright.
Chatwood (4-3) battled through five innings to get the win. He allowed two earned runs, walked three and struck out four.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ramirez led off the ninth with his 21st homer of the season to make it 8-4.
NOTES: LeMahieu tied the major league record for most assists by a second baseman (12) in a nine-inning game. ... Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki (groin surgery) will go on a rehab assignment to Triple-A Colorado Springs starting Wednesday. ... Brown tied a career high with three hits. ... The Rockies have earned series victories in all three of their home series with the Dodgers.