Rockies rough up Ohtani in his 1st start at Coors Field and beat Dodgers 8-3

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DENVER (AP) — Hunter Goodman had three hits and three RBIs, Tanner Gordon gave up one run in six innings, and the MLB-worst Colorado Rockies roughed up Shohei Ohtani in his first pitching start at Coors Field in an 8-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night.

Ohtani (0-1) gave up five earned runs in four innings. He allowed nine hits, tying a career high. The reigning National League MVP got hit on the right thigh by a 93-mph line drive off the bat of Colorado’s Orlando Arciao in the fourth inning that caused him to limp and grimace in pain. He stayed in the game and finished the inning. He also drew a walk in his at-bat in the fifth, but didn't return to the game when his turn came up in the eighth inning.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game that the line drive hit Ohtani on the thigh and managed to avoid his knee and any on-bone contact. Roberts said he was “confident” Ohtani would be in the lineup on Friday against San Diego after an already scheduled day off Thursday.

The Rockies, who are 37-90 and 35 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West, have won seven of their last nine. The Dodgers had won 28 of their previous 35 games against Colorado, dating to the 2022 season.

Gordon (4-5) earned the win for the Rockies after surrendering 26 earned runs across 15 ⅓ innings in his previous four starts.

Jordan Beck had three hits for Colorado, while Tyler Freeman, Brenton Doyle and Mickey Moniak finished with two hits apiece. Arcia added two RBIs for the Rockies, who finished with 16 hits.

Miguel Rojas had two RBIs and Teoscar Hernandez hit his 21st homer for the Dodgers.

With a double and a walk, Ohtani extended his on-base streak to 18 games.

The loss was the sixth in 10 games for the Dodgers, who entered with a two-game lead over San Diego in the division.

A Freeman RBI single to right capped a three-run fourth for the Rockies, extending their lead to 5-0.

With two hits and an RBI, Doyle improved his batting average since the All-Star break to .386, the best in the majors in that period.

Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 3.01 ERA) faces Colorado RHP Chase Dollander (2-9, 6.43) Thursday.

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