Pen manages to hang on for the sweep after early offensive explosion – Dodgers Digest

After scuffling for three series in a row, the Dodgers got what they needed against the Rockies, as they completed the sweep behind an explosive start during which they batted around. Yet, by the end of the game things were in high leverage and the pen barely clung to an 8-7 victory.

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It was the Rockies that actually started the scoring today, striking in the 1st against Bobby Miller, who made his 2025 debut. A lead-off single was eventually cashed in with a two-out double from Kyle Farmer to give the Rockies their first lead of the series at 1-0.

Rox strike first‼️ pic.twitter.com/EInFEcw5wL

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) April 17, 2025

It didn’t last long.

I don’t necessarily feel bad for Rockies starter German Marquez, but man he was getting knocked around by almost everybody. The fireworks started immediately, as Shohei Ohtani absolutely crushed his sixth homer of the year for run #1. After getting one out, Freddie Freeman then hammered his third homer of the year for run #2.

A second out followed, and then the carousel began to turn. A Michael Conforto infield single was followed by a Tommy Edman hit-by-pitch and a Max Muncy walk to load the bases, which Andy Pages cashed in with a first-pitch single for runs #3 and #4.

Austin Barnes then shocked with his first hit of the season, ripping a double to left to plate runs #5 and #6. In his second at-bat of the inning, Shohei hit the first pitch he saw for a single to score him for run #7. That knocked Marquez out of the game after recording just two outs, and he left down 7-1.

Seven runs, one inning. pic.twitter.com/XKXqUYtdMr

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 17, 2025

That was the dominant offensive inning that many have been waiting for.

Unfortunately, Miller gave most of that back almost immediately. After allowing just a single in the 2nd, the 3rd was a gigantic mess. A single started things, another single came with one out, and a walk loaded the bases. That was followed by back-to-back homers from Michael Toglia (a granny) and Mickey Moniak that made it 7-6 in a flash.

? MICHAEL TOGLIA GRAND SLAM ? pic.twitter.com/4VPd5crAjg

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) April 17, 2025

Of course Mickey hits one, we’re in Hollywood after all! pic.twitter.com/Oup7bzT4AX

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) April 17, 2025

In a weird way, he honestly did look a lot better than last year, as he was able to land everything but the changeup for strikes, which led to a ton of whiffs. However, that sequencing of his struggles was just an unfortunate mess and he couldn’t stop the bleeding: 3 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 7 K, 84 Pitches.

Anthony Banda took over for him in the 4th, bouncing back from a rough outing of his own to post a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout. Ben Casparius then entered following his own disaster outing, and got a dominant eight-pitch 5th that included a strikeout.

After exploding in the 1st, the Dodger bats went quiet for a bit, going down quietly in the 2nd and getting a RISP in both the 3rd and 4th but not being able to push a run across. That changed in the 5th when a one-out Max Muncy single was advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored by another Pages single to push the lead to 8-6.

Andy Pages rips another single for a run to pad the lead a bit. pic.twitter.com/SctSQxy6J5

— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 17, 2025

That was all they got in the game, as a rally with a pair of walks in the 6th was killed off by a double play, and they went down in order in the 7th and 8th.

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Casparius continued in the 6th with another dominant and clean frame on 12 pitches. That efficiency led to a third inning in the 7th, where trouble hit after a lead-off single and one-out double. However, Casparius minimized the damage by giving up just an RBI groundout to Kyle Farmer and getting a flyout to end the threat. 8-7 Dodgers.

Setting up in the 8th was Alex Vesia, who got a pair of strikeouts in his drama-free outing.

With the bats providing no further insurance, it was Tanner Scott to close things out. He began with back-to-back strikeouts, then gave up a single, but came back with another strikeout to end it.

Tanner Scott strikes out the side to close the game. pic.twitter.com/VSmXV3rPoE

— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 17, 2025

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Shohei took a ball to the back in the dugout…

Shohei Ohtani gets hit by a foul ball in the dugout and is shocked. pic.twitter.com/GMpNBOZ5QH

— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 17, 2025

…which scared the fuck out of Barnes.

lol https://t.co/GQRwcXCZv0 pic.twitter.com/qPk4gxtWWk

— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 17, 2025

Tommy’s mom tried on the first pitch.

Tommy Edman’s mom missed just a bit outside. pic.twitter.com/xTBLUrrNDR

— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 17, 2025

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14-6, on pace for a 113 wins, and still third in the NL West.

The Dodgers will have the day off tomorrow to travel to Texas, as they have a three-game set starting on Friday at 2:05 PM HT/5:05 PM PT/8:05 PM ET. It’ll be Yoshinobu Yamamoto looking to continue his stellar season against Jacob deGrom, who I hope doesn’t pick that start to get right.