Bullpen game, offense, falters for Dodgers in 6-3 loss in opener

Guess it seemed like a good idea to somebody. In the opener of their doubleheader against the Rockies on Tuesday, the Dodgers eschewed calling up a starter and instead decided to go with a bullpen game.

They went through five relievers, so it could have been a lot worse, but the result was a 6-3 loss to the Rockies at Coors Field. Zack Greinke better pitch deep into the second game.

The opener was filled with missed opportunities by the Dodgers against erratic Colorado left-hander Jorge De La Rosa, who walked four, his last with the bases loaded to force in a run.

The Dodgers had taken a 2-1 lead in the third on a massive, two-run homer by Joc Pederson. His third homer in as many days – all coming against left-handed pitchers – went an estimated 477 feet into the second deck in left-center.

Pederson, who’s been hitting leadoff since April 29, leads the Dodgers with 15 home runs and is second with 29 RBI.

But the Dodgers could not hold the lead. Left-hander Ian Thomas, perhaps the key player acquired in last week’s trade of Juan Uribe, made his debut as a Dodger and it was not pretty.

Thomas followed Juan Nicasio (one run, three hits, two innings) and went three rough innings, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks. J.P. Howell gave the Dodgers a scoreless inning, before still-here Chris Hatcher was summoned and gave up a solo homer to Ben Paulsen. Hatcher just pitched the seventh inning and left with a 7.02 ERA.

After David Huff, who also threw an inning Monday, pitched a scoreless eighth, the Dodgers were left with three fresh relievers – Kenley Jansen, Yimi Garcia and Adam Liberatore – to back up Greinke in the nightcap.

The Dodgers, who had 18 hits in their 11-4 victory on Monday, managed just five hits Tuesday.

De La Rosa survived six innings, allowing the three runs on four hits and four walks. He struck out six. De La Rosa is now 2-2 in seven starts on the season, both victories coming against the Dodgers. His ERA against everyone else is 8.27.