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Gray, Hundley lift Rockies over Dodgers, 8-1

Colorado starting pitcher Jon Gray struck out eight batters on his way to ninth win of the season.

DENVER – Jon Gray pitched six scoreless innings, Nick Hundley hit a two-run homer and the Colorado Rockies beat the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers 8-1 on a gusty Monday night.

Gray (9-6) surrendered four hits and struck out eight in a crisp performance for his first win since Aug. 2. He was helped out by centerfielder Charlie Blackmon, who made a sliding catch in the fifth to thwart a big inning.

DJ LeMahieu had a two-run double in a five-run seventh that turned a pitching duel into a rout.

Kenta Maeda (13-8) was electric once again at Coors Field – except for a hanging slider to Hundley in the fourth. The right-hander with the quirky delivery allowed four hits over five innings. Maeda has a 2.12 ERA in three starts at the hitter friendly park.

The Dodgers had a momentary scare when All-Star rookie shortstop Corey Seager was hit in the left hand by a pitch from Chris Rusin in the seventh. He appeared to be in quite a bit of pain as he made his way to first base, but remained in the game. Seager was hit earlier in the game.

Gray started strong, which hasn’t always been the case this season. Of the 72 runs he has allowed, 34 have been scored in the opening two innings.

Not even a third-inning downpour could interrupt his concentration.

Gray ran into trouble in the fifth with two on and one out. Adrian Gonzalez sent a sinking liner to center that Blackmon hauled in as he slid on the slick grass. Gray pointed his glove toward Blackmon in appreciation.

Three pitches later, Yasmani Grandal crushed a curveball and dropped his bat as if he thought it was gone. But the wind kept it in the park for Carlos Gonzalez to grab near the warning track.

Gray finished off his night by striking out pinch-hitter Enrique Hernandez in the sixth on his 111th pitch.

Pinch-hitter Charlie Culberson broke up the shutout in the ninth with an RBI groundout that brought in Andrew Toles, who tripled.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (mild disk irritation) will face hitters in a simulated game on Tuesday in Los Angeles. A minor-league start may be the next step in his rehabilitation. “We have a couple different scenarios. So, depending on how he comes out of it, we’ll make a decision,” manager Dave Roberts explained.

Rockies: INF Mark Reynolds (broken bone in left hand) could return before the end of the season. “There’s a lot still out in front of him that he has to be able to do before he gets into a game,” manager Walt Weiss said.

FANTASY DRAFT

Roberts has a new player on his team – Julio Jones, the game-changing receiver of the Atlanta Falcons. Jones may not help the Dodgers win the NL West, but could lift Roberts and his team to a fantasy football title.

The Dodgers held their league draft in Denver on Sunday. Roberts is the silent partner on a squad co-owned by Justin Turner and Brandon McCarthy. They took Jones with the No. 2 overall pick.

THIS & THAT

Last week, Maeda was optioned to the Arizona League Dodgers to free up roster space. He was recalled Monday and the team optioned right-handed pitcher Brock Stewart to Double-A Tulsa. ... Weiss said there won’t be any conversations about a new contract until after the season. The fourth-year manager is in the final year of his deal. ... The crowd gave Colorado pinch-hitter Stephen Cardullo a standing ovation after his first major league hit in the eighth. Cardullo, who turns 29 on Wednesday, was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque last week.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: LHP Rich Hill (10-3) makes his first start at Coors Field since April 23, 2008, while with the Chicago Cubs.

Rockies: LHP Tyler Anderson (4-5) is 4-1 with a 3.45 ERA at Coors Field this season.



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