DENVER – Jeff Hoffman struck out eight to earn his first major league win, Carlos Gonzalez showed signs of breaking out of a slump with a two-hit, three-RBI night and the Colorado Rockies held off the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-7 on Thursday.
Ian Desmond and Nolan Arenado each added two doubles to help the Rockies extend their lead in the NL West to 2 1/2 games over the Dodgers. At 23-13, the Rockies are off to the best start in team history.
Hoffman (1-0) allowed three runs over 5 1/3 efficient innings after being recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque earlier in the day. He becomes the latest rookie to shine this season on the mound for Colorado.
Dodgers lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu (1-5) surrendered 10 runs, five earned, and walked six over four innings. He was reinstated from the disabled list before the game after recovering from a bruised hip.
Colorado built a 10-0 lead through four innings only to have the Dodgers chip away. Brett Eibner’s run-scoring single in the ninth off Scott Oberg made it 10-6 and led to the Rockies calling in closer Greg Holland.
Holland struck out Yasiel Puig on a slider in the dirt to end the game for his 15th save in as many chances.
Gonzalez was dropped to the sixth spot in the batting order with his average hovering under .200. The Dodgers even intentionally walked Desmond in the second to face Gonzalez, who lined a double to right as part of a five-run inning that was aided by a Dodgers throwing error.
The slumping Gonzalez retreated to the batting cage after going 0 for 4 on Wednesday, believing he had uncovered a tiny glitch in his swing.
Something was detected. Gonzalez finished with two hits for just the fourth time this season.
Hoffman kept the Dodgers at bay by mixing a mid-90s fastball with a potent slider. Just another Rockies rookie flashing his electric command.
On Wednesday, German Marquez allowed three hits over eight innings in a win over the Chicago Cubs, while Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela threw in Tuesday’s doubleheader. This marked the first time Colorado has started four straight rookie pitchers since 2002, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
Fresh off taking two of three from the World Series champion Cubs, the Rockies face another test in a four-game series against Los Angeles.
“We don’t need any more tests,” Arenado said. “We’re a good team, no matter what.”
Jim Montgomery, the coach of the national champion University of Denver hockey team, threw out the first pitch.
