LOS ANGELES – Shohei Ohtani hit a game-tying home run in the ninth inning and Mookie Betts followed with a game-ending blast as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for a 6-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday to maintain their three-game lead in the National League West.
Ohtani had four hits and added two stolen bases, giving him 53 home runs and 55 steals on the season.
Three pitches after Ohtani tied the game against Rockies right-hander Seth Halvorsen, Betts homered to left, his 19th.
The Dodgers were three outs away from falling to two games ahead of the San Diego Padres with a key three-game series between the teams starting Tuesday.
Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is trying to solidify a spot in the Dodgers’ playoff rotation, struggled from the outset, giving up four runs on five hits over three innings with three walks.
Yamamoto, who recently returned from a three-month stint on the injured list, is the likely No. 2 starter in the upcoming playoffs for Los Angeles.
Teoscar Hernández and Kiké Hernández also hit home runs for the Dodgers, while five Los Angeles pitchers combined for a season-high 17 strikeouts. Blake Treinen (7-3) struck out the side in the ninth inning.
Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela gave up one run over five innings in his second start since returning from Tommy John surgery. Brendan Rodgers and Nolan Jones each drove in two runs for the Rockies, who need three wins over their last six games to avoid a second consecutive 100-loss season.
Yamamoto struggled to find the strike zone early with two walks in the first inning.
The Rockies loaded the bases four batters into the game on singles from Ezequiel Tovar and Ryan McMahon, as well as a walk to Michael Toglia, before Rodgers delivered a two-run single that trickled off the glove of Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux into shallow right field. Jones added an RBI ground out for the early 3-0 lead.
The Rockies scored again in the third inning for a 4-0 lead on an RBI single from Jones.
The Dodgers had multiple scoring chances in the early innings against Senzatela, who escaped trouble by getting Freddie Freeman to ground into two double plays, while Tommy Edman rolled into another.
The only run Los Angeles scored off the veteran right-hander came on Teoscar Hernández’s 31st home run of the season in the fourth inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: 3B Max Muncy was out of the starting lineup with soreness on his side after diving to make a play on defense Saturday and was replaced by Kiké Hernández.
UP NEXT
Rockies: After an off day Monday, RHP Ryan Feltner (3-10, 4.73 ERA) is in line to face the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday to open the final homestand of the season.
Dodgers: After an off day Monday, RHP Landon Knack (3-4, 3.39 ERA) is in line to face the San Diego Padres to open the final home series of the regular season.
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