Bad-weather Dodgers down Rockies 2-1 in rain-shortened game

It was wet and rainy, and just generally unpleasant, until it wasn’t. That’s because the umpires called the game after five innings Friday, leaving the Dodgers 2-1 winners over the Rockies at Coors Field.

They were just able to squeeze in the required five innings. The Dodgers had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the sixth when the game was halted because of rain.

The victory went to Brett Anderson, returning to Denver for the first time since pitching for the Rockies last season.

Rain was a factor before the game even began. The start was delayed an hour and four minutes while they waited for the skies to clear.

When they did, new leadoff hitter Joc Pederson did one of the three things he does so frequently -- walk (homer and strikeout are the other two). That proved significant when, after Pederson stole second, Justin Turner was also walked by right-hander Eddie Butler.

Adrian Gonzalez then celebrated his 33rd birthday with a ground-rule double to score Pederson. Catcher Yasmani Grandal, who had a career-high eight RBIs on Thursday, picked up one more Friday with a sacrifice fly in foul territory, which proved the game-winner.

Anderson maintained the 2-0 lead until the fourth inning. Troy Tulowitzki opened the bottom of the inning with a double. Third baseman Nolan Arenado singled to Alex Guerrero in left, and when he bobbled the ball for an error, Tulowitzki rounded third base and came home.

The Rockies thought they had tied the score in the bottom of the fifth inning. With the rain falling again, Anderson (2-1) walked Charlie Blackmon with two outs. Anderson appeared to be slipping on the pitching rubber. Blackmon stole second and tried to score on Corey Dickerson’s infield hit, but Gonzalez threw him out on a very close play at the plate.

It was close enough that the Rockies challenged the call. The Rockies lost the challenge, getting the five innings in and making the game official.

With the rain coming down still harder, the Dodgers loaded the bases in the top of the sixth with one out after Turner was hit by a pitch while Gonzalez and Grandal singled. When a 94 mph Butler fastball almost hit Guerrero in the head, the umpires called for another rain delay.

They waited almost two hours before calling it. More rain is scheduled Saturday and snow is forecast Sunday.

Anderson gave up the one run in his five innings on six hits and a walk.