Carlos Gonzalez’s three-run homer in ninth stuns Dodgers, 5-4

And here the trends were looking so good for the Dodgers.

The Rockies came into Dodger Stadium having lost 11 consecutive games to play a Dodgers team that was a baseball-best 15-3 at home.

Things seemed like they would unfold as expected, right up until that would-be last out. Unfortunately for the Dodgers, it did not arrive as scheduled.

Instead, Carlos Gonzalez hit a two-out, ninth-inning, three-run homer off Yimi Garcia to propel the Rockies to a 5-4 victory before an announced Dodger Stadium crowd of 42,650.

A 1-hour 25-minute rain delay made for a long, disappointing night for the Dodgers.

The Dodgers started off well enough, going right to work against Rockies right-hander Chad Bettis, almost like they wanted to get a quick lead ahead of the rain.

Bettis, just called up and making his first start of the season, saw his trouble start with a one-out double by Jimmy Rollins off the center-field wall in the first inning. Howie Kendrick followed with a single to left, with Rollins holding at third.

That left it to Adrian Gonzalez, who only led the majors in RBIs last season. He laced a two-run double into the right-fielder corner to score both runners.

Colorado got one back in the second real quick. Wilin Rosario led off the second and hammered the first pitch he saw halfway up the right-field pavilion for his second home run of the season.

The Dodgers took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the inning after Andre Ethier opened with a double. He scored when left-hander Brett Anderson doubled him home. For Anderson, who spent the first five years of his career with the A’s in the designated-hitter American League, it was only the second RBI of his career.

With a light rain now falling, the Dodgers stuck with their 3-1 lead until the fifth. Gonzalez drew a two-out walk and took second when Scott Van Slyke hit a little roller up the third baseline and just beat a strong, running throw by Colorado’s Nolan Arenado.

Yasmani Grandal bounced a single up the middle to score Gonzalez and give Anderson the 4-1 advantage. It at least seemed safe.

With lightning and thunder now in the skies, the Rockies put runners on the corners with one out in the sixth when a light rain turned very heavy and the rain delay was called.

An hour and 25 minutes later they were not about to send Anderson back out, so when play resumed the call went to Juan Nicasio, who inherited the one-out, runners-on-the-corners situation. Rosario hit a possible double-play ball to Rollins at shortstop, but he dropped the ball for an error as Gonzalez scored.

Corey Dickerson singled to left to load the bases, but Nicasio avoided further damage by striking out Nick Hundley and D.J. LeMahieu.

In his five innings, Anderson was charged with two runs on five hits and a walk. He struck out eight. In his last start, he picked up a five-inning win after a rain-shortened game in Denver.

Chris Hatcher, after a rough outing Wednesday, pitched a scoreless eighth. Only on this night, it was Garcia who faltered.

He gave up singles to Nick Hundley and Drew Stubbs in the ninth, and then with two outs, served up 94 mph fastball that Gonzalez crushed for his third home run.