Los Angeles, CA – Hanley Ramirez hit a home run in his first start since returning from the disabled list and Hyun-Jin Ryu had 12 strikeouts over six innings as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Colorado Rockies, 6-2, in the second of a three-game set.
Ramirez started the season with a torn ligament in his right thumb, which he suffered during the World Baseball Classic. He was activated on Monday, but only served as a pinch-hitter in a 12-2 loss against Colorado.
Ryu (3-1) allowed two runs on three hits and two walks and also drove in a run for the Dodgers. Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Kemp, Nick Punto and Jerry Hairston Jr. had one RBI apiece in the victory, Los Angeles' fourth in the last six games.
"It's good to get him in the lineup and see him already being productive in the lineup," Kemp said of Ramirez. "We've been having trouble scoring runs here lately and he's definitely going to help us with that."
Carlos Gonzalez hit a solo shot and Michael Cuddyer had an RBI double for the Rockies, who saw starter Jorge De La Rosa (2-3) struggle, allowing six runs on 11 hits and two walks in four innings.
"I made a lot of mistakes," De La Rosa admitted. "I threw a lot of pitches where I didn't have to and I paid for it."
Gonzalez homered with two outs in the first to put the Rockies on the board.
The Dodgers responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Hairston singled to lead off and reached second on a bunt single by Punto. Kemp delivered a single to center, scoring Hairston, and Gonzalez hit a sacrifice fly, plating Punto.
The Dodgers weren't done yet, as they tacked on four more runs over the next two innings. In the second, Hairston and Punto hit back-to-back RBI singles. Ramirez homered and Ryu singled, scoring Ethier, in the third.
Colorado cut the deficit to 6-2 in the sixth when Cuddyer knocked a two-out double that brought Dexter Fowler home.
Kenley Jansen pitched two scoreless innings, allowing only a single by Josh Rutledge in the eighth, to end the game.
Game Notes
Fowler had a stolen base ... Entering the game, De La Rosa was 0-7 with a 6.22 ERA in 13 games -- nine starts -- against the Dodgers ... Colorado has 267 hits this season, most in the majors ... The Dodgers came into the game tied with Milwaukee for the highest team batting average against lefties in the majors, with .293.
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