Trayce Thompson drills another walk-off homer to lift Dodgers
LOS ANGELES — Trayce Thompson showed teenage pitching prospect Julio Urias just what kind of party Los Angeles can have.
Thompson hit a game-ending homer in the ninth inning to give the Dodgers a 4-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night in Urias' home debut.
The 19-year-old Urias struck out seven over four innings. The Mexican left-hander allowed three hits and one run and was removed after 86 pitches with his workload being strictly monitored in just his third career start. It was by far his best outing after surrendering 13 hits and eight earned runs in his first 7 2/3 innings.
"I felt confident," Urias said through an interpreter. "I felt better because it was my third outing."
Thompson's two-out blast in the ninth off Carlos Estevez (1-3) gave the Dodgers their 11th win in the past 16 games.
"We're right there," Thompson said. "Guys are putting together good at-bats and we gotta continue to step on the gas and keep it going."
With runners on first and second and one out in the first, Urias got Carlos Gonzalez swinging through a high fastball to earn a loud roar of approval from the crowd. When he followed with a strikeout of Trevor Story to end the inning, the fans rose to their feet.
"I felt like a dream was completed," Urias said. "I felt comfortable, very happy pitching here."
Kenley Jansen (2-1) got the win after pitching a scoreless ninth.
Justin Turner provided an early lead in the bottom of the first with a three-run homer of Eddie Butler.
From there, Urias blossomed. He retired eight his next 10 batters, including five via strikeout, to depart with a 3-1 lead. An RBI double by Nolan Arenado in the third was his only blemish.
Urias' 86 pitches were the most he's thrown this season in 11 starts between Triple-A and the majors.
"Every starter wants to go out and get the win," Urias said, "but I trust the team and what they're doing (with my pitch counts)."
The Rockies battled back to tie it against the bullpen. Daniel Descalso led off the seventh with a pinch-hit home run off Joe Blanton, and Gonzalez tied it with a two-out RBI single off Pedro Baez that deflected off second baseman Chase Utley's glove.
The Rockies failed to pull ahead though. Overall, they stranded 10 men on base and were 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
"I felt like we were one hit away from taking the lead," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "We had a couple of opportunities, we just missed them."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: OF Charlie Blackmon (rest) did not start but entered as a pinch-hitter in the eighth. He struck out to end his consecutive on-base streak at 32 games.
Dodgers: LHP Brett Anderson (herniated disk surgery) threw for the second straight day from 75 feet on flat ground. It is Anderson's first time throwing back-to-back days since going on the 60-day DL on April 4.
FAMILY AND HISTORY
Urias' parents made the 1,096-mile trip from Culiacan, Mexico to see his Dodger Stadium debut in person.
They, and the 41,525 fans in attendance, witnessed history on a few counts.
Urias' seven strikeouts were the most by a Dodgers teenager since 19-year old Don Drysdale struck out nine for the Brooklyn Dodgers against Philadelphia on April 23, 1956.
Urias also became the youngest Dodger to take the field at Dodger Stadium since Adrian Beltre in 1998 and the youngest Dodger pitcher to make a start in Chavez Ravine since Dick Calmus on Aug. 23, 1963 against Milwaukee.
SAD STORY
Story went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts, the second four-strikeout game of the rookie shortstop's career.
He now leads the National League with 85 strikeouts this season. He is also tied for second in the NL with 16 home runs.
UP NEXT
Rockies: LHP Chris Rusin (1-4, 4.62) is winless since moving into the starting rotation on April 30. He has a 6.00 ERA in six starts this season compared to a 1.72 ERA in five relief appearances.
Dodgers: RHP Kenta Maeda (5-3, 2.84) aims to win his third straight start after allowing only one earned run in his past 11 1/3 innings.
