Dodgers split doubleheader with Rockies thanks to Alex Guerrero

KEY MOMENT: With the Dodgers down to their final out in the second game and trailing by three runs, Alex Guerrero vaulted them to a 9-8 victory by hitting a ninth-inning grand slam off Rafael Betancourt. “I was looking for hard contact,” Guerrero said in Spanish. “I wasn’t looking for any particular pitch.” The ball was nearly caught at the wall by a leaping Charlie Blackmon, who said it brushed his glove. Guerrero said he initially thought Blackmon had caught the ball. The home run made Guerrero the first player in Dodgers history to hit a grand slam in the ninth inning or later with his team down by three runs.

ON THE MOUND: Josh Ravin, a graduate of Chatsworth High who was in his 10th minor league season, made his major league debut in the second game. Entering the game with two on and two outs in the eighth inning, the hard-throwing Ravin struck out DJ LeMahieu to keep the score at 8-5. Guerrero’s grand slam made Ravin the winning pitcher. The game was started by Zack Greinke, who was charged with five runs and 10 hits in six innings. In the first game, the Dodgers elected to use a series of relievers rather than call up a starting pitcher from the minors. The designated starter, Juan Nicasio, pitched two innings and gave up a run. His replacement, left-hander Ian Thomas, was charged with four runs and five hits in three innings.

AT THE PLATE: Rookie Joc Pederson hit a home run in each game, increasing his season total to 16. In addition to Pederson and Guerrero, Adrian Gonzalez and Enrique Hernandez also homered in the evening contest. Gonzalez has 11 home runs on the season. In the latest round of All-Star balloting that was released earlier in the day, Gonzalez continued to lead National League first basemen in votes. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who didn’t start the first game, was two for three with two runs in the second.

THE DISABLED LIST: Scott Van Slyke was placed on the 15-day disabled list with mid-back inflammation and replaced on the active roster by Chris Heisey, who was recalled from triple-A Oklahoma City. The promotion was significant for Heisey. He now has five full years of major league service time, which allows him to refuse any minor league assignment.

ROSTER MOVES: Teams are permitted to add a 26th player to their roster for doubleheaders and the Dodgers used theirs on Thomas, whom they recalled from Oklahoma City. Thomas was acquired as part of the recent trade that sent Juan Uribe to the Atlanta Braves. Between the first and second games, the Dodgers fortified their taxed bullpen by promoting left-hander Daniel Coulombe and Ravin from triple A. The Dodgers cleared roster spots for Coulombe and Ravin by optioning catcher Austin Barnes to triple A and designating left-hander David Huff for assignment.

MEDICAL REPORT: Sidelined left-hander Paco Rodriguez underwent an MRI examination that revealed he has tendinitis in his throwing elbow, Manager Don Mattingly said. Rodriguez is expected to resume throwing in a few days. Mattingly said there were no structural changes in Rodriguez’s elbow from the time the reliever was signed with the Dodgers. Mattingly said something similar about Hyun-Jin Ryu’s shoulder earlier this year and Ryu is now recovering from a season-ending shoulder operation.

UP NEXT: Mike Bolsinger (3-1, 1.15 ERA) will face the Rockies and Chad Bettis (2-0, 2.96) at Coors Field on Wednesday at 5 p.m. PDT. TV: SportsNet LA, ESPN2; Radio: 570, 1020.