The Los Angeles Dodgers just squeezed out a 7-6 win against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Monday, but don’t let that final score fool ya. It was a nail-biter, a real slugfest, and some serious questions are hanging out there for one of their pitchers. Eric Lauer, getting his eighth win of the season, had to work for it, giving up four earned runs through just five innings. That’s a rough night, even at Coors.
Ohtani’s Bat Keeps Raking, MVP Race Heating Up
The offense showed up early, with Max Muncy immediately putting a sacrifice fly into play in the first inning to bring Freddie Freeman home. But the Rockies, man, they got that run right back with Cole Carrigg hitting an RBI double to tie things up. Then came the man himself: Shohei Ohtani absolutely blasted a two-run homer in the third inning. That’s his 30th of the season! Dude’s been on fire in August, crushing it with a .309/.365/.632 slash line. Forget the Cy Young this season, but for MVP? With his insane numbers on the mound *and* at the plate, Ohtani is still a super real contender for his fourth MVP in a row, fifth overall. Seriously, who else is doing this?
The Rockies tried to shut that down, though. TJ Rumfield dropped an RBI double, then Connor Norby followed suit with another RBI double to tie the game again. Wild. The Dodgers weren’t having it for long, though. Kyle Tucker hit an RBI double to pull ahead, and then Teoscar Hernandez mashed an RBI double of his own to stretch it to a two-run lead. Freeman sealed the deal on a three-run fourth with another sacrifice fly.
Kyle Tucker’s Struggle Is Real, Lauer’s August Grind Continues
Let’s be real, that RBI for Kyle Tucker was huge, even if it was a small step. The guy’s been through it lately, especially after signing that massive four-year, $240 million deal that’s just been, well, underwhelming. There’s so much pressure when you’re supposed to be one of the best, so any hit that gives him confidence is a good sign. The Dodgers are just hoping he figures it out sooner rather than later.
Meanwhile, Lauer’s night was a battle. Willi Castro got to him for a solo homer in the fifth. While Lauer did keep the lead, four earned runs in five innings is a tough look, even in the thin air of Coors Field. August has been a grind for him. You’d hope he could find his footing against the Rockies, who have been one of the worst teams in the National League, but he had to fight for every out. Tanner Scott came in and locked down his 17th save, thank goodness.
Freeman grabbed his second RBI of the night in the sixth with a timely single. The Dodgers walked away with a 7-6 victory, a gritty win that showed off both their offensive firepower and some areas they’ve gotta tighten up. This team is looking to build on every single win right now, especially when they have to claw their way through a game like this. You just gotta wonder what this means for Lauer’s next outing.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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