Roki Sasaki rebounds, Mookie Betts breaks late tie as Dodgers win another series

The first-place Dodgers might not have much meaningful baseball ahead of them the rest of this regular season.Still, losing a series to the last-place Rockies is an embarrassment that –– regardless of their place in the standings or odds to win the division –– is best to be avoided.On Wednesday, that’s exactly what the club did, winning a 4-3 rubber match at Dodger Stadium thanks to a go-ahead eighth-inning RBI single from Mookie Betts that came at the end of an impressive nine-pitch at-bat.The Dodgers hadn’t had many quality at-bats for much of Wednesday, not since scoring three runs in the first inning.

After that, they were held quiet by debuting Colorado starter Gabriel Hughes, while the Rockies got back into the game by tagging Roki Sasaki with three runs in a six-inning start.Nevertheless, Sasaki did enough to at least keep the game tied.The Dodgers’ bullpen then wiggled out of a two-on, no-out (then bases-loaded, one-out) jam in the top of the eighth.

And finally, the team’s offense came back to life in their final trip to the plate in the bottom of the inning.The rally started with singles from Tommy Edman and Freddie Freeman against Rockies reliever Antonio Senzatela.That brought up Betts, whose recent hot streak had cooled off during a 1-for-15 skid entering the night.Betts quickly into a two-strike hole, but fouled off three different putaway pitches (a cutter, curveball and 99 mph fastball) to eventually work the count full.On pitch No.9, Senzatela left a sinker over too much of the plate.

Betts roped it into the center to break the 3-3 tie.With a ninth-inning save from Tanner Scott, the Dodgers would go on to clinch the series.An unsightly result had been averted.Their march toward October continued apace.The Dodgers (61-33) keep on stacking wins, securing a fifth-consecutive series victory on Wednesday to maintain the best record in the majors.

With just one more weekend to go until the All-Star break, they have a two-game lead on t...