Hilliard, Cron lift Rockies past division-chasing Dodgers

DENVER (AP) — Sam Hilliard lined a three-run homer, C.J. Cron had four hits and the Colorado Rockies snapped a five-game skid at Coors Field by beating the NL West title-chasing Los Angeles Dodgers 10-5 on Wednesday night.

The Dodgers may be in danger of losing more ground to division-leading San Francisco. They entered the day a game behind the Giants, who played late in San Diego.

This had all the makings of a pitchers’ duel with All-Stars Walker Buehler and Germán Márquez on the mound. Instead, it was anything but, as the teams combined for 19 hits, including three homers and even a two-run double from Márquez that chased his counterpart from the game.

Luke Raley displayed his power by drilling a two-run homer to center in the third inning that was measured by Statcast at 472 feet. It’s tied for the Dodgers’ third-longest tracked by Statcast since 2015.

There was a big collision in the seventh when Charlie Blackmon ran into reliever Alex Vesia on a dribbler up the first-base line. Blackmon’s helmet went flying and Vesia tumbled to the ground, losing control of the baseball. Blackmon reached on an error credited to Vesia, who took a few warmup pitchers before continuing.

Vesia wasn’t the same. He gave up a run-scoring double to Cron. Hilliard later connected on a three-run homer after the Dodgers intentionally walked Elias Díaz to pitch to him. Hilliard’s 12th homer of the season made it 10-5.

An inning after the collision, Blackmon came up again and was hit by a pitch from Evan Phillips.

Robert Stephenson (2-1) earned the win for the Rockies, who are 6-12 against the Dodgers this season. Dodgers reliever Justin Bruihl (0-1) took the loss.

Buehler and Márquez left with no-decisions. Buehler gave up five runs over 3 2/3 innings in his career-high 31st start of the season.

Márquez allowed five runs in four innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: OF Chris Taylor was out of the starting lineup as he dealt with a sore neck. … Outfielder AJ Pollock (hamstring) was activated from the injured list. He grounded out in a pinch-hitting role in the sixth.

Rockies: Manager Bud Black said OF/INF Connor Joe’s season is officially over due to a nagging hamstring injury. … Rockies RHP Peter Lambert will make his first start since Sept. 20, 2019 on Friday. He had Tommy John surgery in July 2020.

LATE RULING

Justin Turner brought home a run on a fly out to right with the bases loaded in the fifth. But he wasn’t initially credited with an RBI after Trea Turner wandered too far off second base and was tagged out. It initially went down as a 9-6 double play. But Elias Sports Bureau later ruled it a sacrifice fly and credited Turner with his 82nd RBI of the season.

BROADCASTERS SIDELINED

Joe Davis will be missing from Dodgers broadcasts after testing positive for the coronavirus. He was fully vaccinated, the team said in a statement, and will isolate at home. Orel Hershiser also will quarantine due to close contact.

THIS & THAT

Rockies infielder Brendan Rodgers hit a solo homer. … Cron is 7 for 10 with four doubles in this series against the Dodgers.

UP NEXT

Dodgers right-hander Max Scherzer enters his start Thursday against Colorado with an 11-game win streak and an MLB-best 2.08 ERA. The Rockies will throw lefty Kyle Freeland, who’s 3-3 with a 5.36 ERA at Coors Field this season.

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