Carlos Gonzalez HR in 9th lifts Rockies over Dodgers 8-6
DENVER (AP) — Nolan Arenado and Carlos Gonzalez are adding excitement as the Colorado Rockies finish up another 90-loss season.
Arenado hit a grand slam for his 40th home run, Gonzalez hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Rockies beat the Dodgers 8-6 Saturday night, preventing Los Angeles from moving closer to clinching the NL West title.
The Dodgers' magic number remained at two for closing out San Francisco in the division race.
Colorado's sluggers are the main culprits in preventing Los Angeles from clinching a third straight division crown. The pair have 79 home runs between them and are on pace to give the Rockies multiple players with 40 or more for the first time in 18 years. Larry Walker (49), Andres Galarraga (41) and Vinny Castilla (40) did it in 1997.
"Nolan and I are having a special thing," Gonzalez said. "It is more special to me because of the way I started the year."
Justin Morneau had four hits for the Rockies. Andre Ethier homered for the Dodgers.
DJ LeMahieu, who had three hits, led off the ninth with a single against Yimi Garcia (3-4). Gonzalez, who also had three hits, worked the count to 3-1 before hitting a 94 mph fastball over the wall in center for his 39th home run.
"I was focusing for the right pitch to drive and it showed up in the 3-1 count," Gonzalez said. "The biggest key was not chasing those fastballs up. I forced him to throw me something around the zone. With Nolan behind, I had the advantage."
Justin Miller (3-2) pitched the top of the ninth for the win.
Colorado's first six batters of the game got hits off Brett Anderson, with Arenado providing the big blow. He followed three straight singles with a drive over the wall in center for his third career slam.
"It's nice when you can go out, bases loaded and no outs," Arenado said. "I was fortunate to have a pitch to hit."
Arenado tied Toronto's Josh Donaldson for the most RBIs in the majors with 121.
Ethier had a two-run homer in the second to slice the deficit in half. Colorado tacked on runs in the second and third to build a 6-2 lead.
The Dodgers got another run in the fifth and chased starter Kyle Kendrick with a three-run sixth to tie it.
Joc Pederson's diving catch on Corey Dickerson's drive to left-center in the Colorado seventh kept the game tied at 6.
RAREFIED AIR
Arenado became the seventh Rockies player to hit 40 or more home runs in a season and the first since the humidor was used starting in 2002.
He is the 13th third baseman in major league history to have at least 40 home runs and 120 RBIs. The last was Detroit's Miguel Cabrera in 2012.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: SS Jose Reyes missed his third straight game with a sore left Achilles injury. Manager Walt Weiss said he doesn't think Reyes will need to be shut down for the season. ... RHP Miguel Castro is out with a sore back.
UP NEXT
Rockies: RHP Chris Rusin (5-9, 5.39) has tossed Colorado's only two complete games at Coors Field this season.