Betts and Freeman homer in the 1st to back another solid outing from Stone as Dodgers blank Rockies
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman homered in the first inning, Gavin Stone had another strong outing and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 4-0 on Sunday.
Betts hit his fourth leadoff homer this season. Two batters later, Freeman went deep off Colorado's Austin Gomber, the eighth time the Dodgers have homered at least twice in an inning.
Freeman also scored twice and drove in two runs for the Dodgers, who have won five of six.
Stone (6-2) went five innings and struck out six while giving up only four hits and two walks. The right-hander has allowed one run or fewer in six of his seven starts since April 26.
Michael Grove, Alex Vesia and Daniel Hudson came out of the bullpen to combine for the Dodgers' sixth shutout this season and second in five games.
Gomber (1-3) came into the game sixth in the NL with a 2.76 ERA and allowed only two earned runs in four May starts. But the left-hander went a season-low three innings, and was at 75 pitches when his day ended.
Gomber allowed three runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
Betts connected on a slider from Gomber and put it four rows deep into the stands in the left-field corner. It was also Betts' 52nd career leadoff homer, which is one away from tying Craig Biggio for fourth all-time.
Betts has nine homers this season, but it was his first since May 17.
After Shohei Ohtani's pop out, Freeman drove a full-count fastball over the wall in center and just past the outstretched glove of leaping Colorado outfielder Brenton Doyle.
Miguel Rojas extended Los Angeles' lead to 3-0 in the third when his base hit drove in Freeman.
Freeman then gave the Dodgers more breathing room in the eighth inning with a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to bring home Jason Heyward.
Colorado was shut out for the seventh time. Its lone threat came in the fifth inning when it had runners on second and third with two outs, but Ezequiel Tover lined out to Freeman at first base to end the inning.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: 3B Max Muncy (right oblique strain) doesn't have a timetable to resume baseball activities after he felt discomfort in his rib cage while swinging the bat last week.
UP NEXT
Rockies: Return home for a three-game set against Cincinnati. RHP Ryan Feltner (1-4, 5.46 ERA) gets the call in Monday's series opener.
Dodgers: Head back east for six games, beginning with three in Pittsburgh. RHP Tyler Glasnow (6-3, 3.04 ERA) takes the mound on Tuesday.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb