Dodgers can't put the Rockies away

Anytime the Dodgers and Rockies tangle in Coors Field, there's potential for a long, crazy game.

Saturday was no exception.

Playing for just over five hours, the Dodgers blew a two-run lead in the 12th inning before falling to the Rockies in the 13th, 7-6. The loss puts the Dodgers back into fourth place in the NL West, and dangerously close to last with only a 1/2 game lead over the Padres. Ugh.

The back-and-forth game started with the Dodgers scoring in the first. Tony Gwynn hit in the leadoff spot and singled. Justin Sellers then hit a ground rule double, and the Dodgers were in business right away. Aaron Miles flew out, and Matt Kemp was shown the ultimate sign of respect with an intentional walk. Juan Rivera made them pay with a two-run single and 2-0 lead.

The Rockies got one back in the bottom of the frame. Eric Young made it all happen, as he walked, then stole two straight bases. An RBI groundout by Carlos Gonzalez made it 2-1.

Todd Helton had a big day at the plate, and it started in the second. His solo homer leading off tied the score at 2. An inning later, the Rockies grabbed the lead thanks to the speed of Young again. He walked for the second time, stole his third base, and went to third on a wild pitch. An RBI single by Gonzalez made it 3-2.

The Dodgers fought right back in the fourth. Jamey Carroll started it with a single. Ted Lilly struck out and Gwynn grounded out, but Sellers came though with an RBI single to make it 3-3. After Miles hit an infield single for runners at the corners, Kemp's RBI single gave the Dodgers a 4-3 lead.

The score remained the same until the seventh when the Rockies tied it. It started with Chris Iannetta's double leading off. A sacrifice by Jonathan Herrera got Iannetta to third, and Young's RBI single an out later made it 4-4. Shockingly, Young was erased on a rundown for the final out.

Both teams got through the ninth unharmed, and both blew chances with runners on in the 10th. The Dodgers went down easily to start the 11th, but the Rockies did all they could to end it. Helton singled, went to second on a sacrifice, then to third on a wild pitch with one out. Iannetta and Seth Smith were both intentionally walked to set up forceouts anywhere. It worked, as Mike MacDougal got Chris Nelson and Mark Ellis on grounders to move the game along.

The new momentum seemed to help the Dodgers, as they got a couple in the 12th. With Mark Reynolds now on the mound, Miles greeted him with a solo homer to go up 5-4. Now with two outs, Trent Oeltjen hit a sinking liner to center in which Dexter Fowler dove and missed. Oeltjen came all the way around for the inside the park homer, and it was 6-4.

Javy Guerra entered, and he was a perfect 10-10 in save opportunities entering this one. But like I said before, crazy things can happen at Coors, and this was no different. Despite the two-run cushion, the Rockies fought all the way back to tie it up.

It started with a walk to Fowler, a cardinal sin when pitching with a late lead. An out later, Troy Tulowitzki singled for runners on first and third. Helton then battled Guerra for a 15-pitch at-bat which resulted in an RBI double to make it 6-5. Eliezer Alfonso pinch-hit and tied it up with an RBI groundout, and the game continued on.

Carroll did his best to get the Dodgers a lead again, as he singled leading off, but that was it. Blake Hawksworth came on and got the first two outs. But, Ellis doubled and Fowler walked off with an RBI single.

The Dodgers' bullpen was put to some serious work after Lilly exited after only 4 2/3 innings with a sore neck. The entire 'pen was emptied: Hong-Chih Kuo (1 IP, 0 R), Josh Lindblom (1 1/3 IP, 1 R), Scott Elbert (1 1/3 IP, 0 R), Matt Guerrier (1 2/3 IP, 0 R), MacDougal (1 IP, 0 R), Guerra (1 IP, 2 R), and Hawksworth (2/3 IP, 1 R). In all, they pitched 8 innings for nine hits, four runs, four walks, and seven strikeouts.

It was good to see Kuo pitch so well, as he struck out all three batters he faced, which were Gonzalez, Tulo, and Helton. Where has that been all year? Unfortunately, it's been nowhere to be found. With an 11.25 ERA, he'll take any good performance he can get.

The offense did a good job in pounding out 17 hits, but only three were for extra-bases. So, it's no surprise that 11 men were left on base, including six with runners in scoring position and two outs. Once again, the Dodgers just can't get those big hits. Granted, in a 15-inning game, there's bound to be more men left on base, but that's still too many. But the Dodgers are what they are.

The rubber game will be played Sunday afternoon, as Chad Billingsley gets the ball. He's coming off a great start in Milwaukee with only one run in seven innings. That probably means he's due for a bad one. That's how inconsistent he's been this year.