Rockies fall to Dodgers, 2-1, on Mookie Betts’ walk-off infield hit

LOS ANGELES — Gut punch. Root canal. Stubbing your toe in the middle of the night.

Painful.

Just like the Rockies’ 2-1 loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday night.

Mookie Betts chopped a bases-loaded, high-bouncing, infield hit to the back of the mound for a walk-off single off of closer Daniel Bard to complete the Dodgers’ three-game sweep. It was the first walk-off hit of Betts’ career with Los Angeles.

Colorado fell to 9-28 at Dodger Stadium since 2018, winning just two of 12 series over that span.

Bard came into the game having converted 16 of 18 save opportunities and had allowed just one earned run (0.52 ERA) over his last 15 outings. But he gave up singles to Cody Bellinger and Gavin Lux and walked Austin Barnes to load the bases with no outs.

Then, against Colorado’s five-man infield, Betts hit a bouncer over the head of Bard. Shortstop José Iglesias was unable to handle it cleanly as he tried to make a quick play to the plate to save the game.”

“Bellinger went down and dug out a fastball for a base hit and Lux hit a groundball just in the right spot. That’s baseball,” manager Bud Black said when asked what happened to Bard in the ninth. “And then Betts hit a topper. They put the ball in play.”

The Rockies managed just one hit, but, miraculously, they were still in the game until the Dodgers’ final at-bat.

Before the bitter ending to a weird game, starter José Ureña rolled in his Rockies debut.

The veteran right-hander, called up from Triple-A to fill the rotation spot of the injured Antonio Senzatela, was charged with just one run in 6 2/3 innings, giving up five hits, striking out two and walking three. He threw 89 pitches, 53 of them for strikes.

Black said that Ureña will make another start, which lines up to be against San Diego on Monday at Coors Field.

“We just tried to pitch up and down because they have been so aggressive hitting the fastball,” Ureña said. “The main thing was to try to get the ball on the ground.”

Ureña coaxed the Dodgers into seven outs via groundballs, including two double plays.

“Early on, the ball-to-strikes ratio wasn’t great but he ended up throwing strikes when he needed to,” Black said. “There’s a composure to him, and from what I have been told, this guy’s a fighter. He competes hard — with good stuff. You saw that tonight.”

The Dodgers didn’t make Ureña sweat until the seventh inning when they bit him with three singles. Ureña almost escaped by getting Jake Lamb to chop into a double play, but back-to-back, hard-hit singles by Bellinger and Lux ended Ureña’s night.

Black brought in right-hander Jake Bird, who made his major league debut on June 16. Bird promptly plunked Barnes to load the bases and then uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Bellinger to race home from third. Bird cut the Dodgers rally off by inducing Betts to ground out to third baseman Ryan McMahon.

Ureña, who began the season with Milwaukee as a reliever, was signed by the Rockies to a minor-league contract on May 16. He spent two-plus weeks in Scottsdale, Ariz., to get stretched out as a starter. He made his first start with Triple-A Albuquerque on June 5. In five starts with the Isotopes, he was 0-1 with a 7.29 ERA.

Ureña considers himself a starter, which is why his solid performance Wednesday night meant so much to him.

“It was really important to me,” he said. “So now I can help the (Rockies) no matter how they need me. I just want to be ready and prepared.”

Dodgers starter Mitch White not only blanked the Rockies for five innings, but he also no-hit them. The Rockies finally scratched out a run in the sixth when Kris Bryant drew a one-out walk and Brendan Rodgers blooped a single to center. Bryant advanced to third and Bellinger threw wildly into the Dodgers dugout, allowing Bryant to score.

On Deck

Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (6-7, 6.53 ERA) at Diamondbacks LHP Dallas Keuchel (2-6, 8.27)

7:40 p.m. Thursday, Chase Field

TV: ATTRM

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM

Thursday’s game features two lefties trying to regain their form. Gomber will make his 14th start of the season after returning to the rotation last week in a start vs. the D-backs at Coors Field. He picked up the win, even though he allowed four runs on six hits, including two home runs, across 5 2/3 innings. Gomber is 2-0 with a 4.67 ERA in four career appearances (three starts) against Arizona.

The Rockies beat up Keuchel last Saturday at Coors Field, ripping him for seven runs (six earned) on six hits and drawing three walks over five innings. There has been speculation that he will be removed from the rotation but the D-backs have been hit by injuries, so it’s likely that the lefty will make at least one more start. Arizona’s Zach Davies was recently added to the 15-day injured list with a shoulder problem.

Trending: On May 21, Charlie Blackmon was slashing .216/.281/.403. In the 38 games after that, Blackmon hit .314/.353/.519 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs, raising his slash line to .269/.319/.466 (entering Wednesday).

At issue: The Rockies entered Wednesday’s game with a 12-24 record on the road, a .324 winning percentage that was tied for the lowest in the majors with Detroit.

Pitching probables

Friday: Rockies RHP Chad Kuhl (5-5, 3.83) at Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (4-2, 3.40), 7:40 p.m., ATTRM

Saturday: Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (4-6, 4.43) at Diamondbacks LHP Madison Bumgarner (4-8, 3.74), 2:10 p.m., ATTRM