Dodgers starting pitcher James Paxton throws to the plate during the fifth inning or their game against the Colorado Rockies on Monday night in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernández follows the flight of his RBI double off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Cal Quantrill in the first inning of a baseball game Monday, June 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman rounds third base to score on a Teoscar Hernandez double in the first inning at Coors Field on June 17, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman rounds third base to score on a double hit by Teoscar Hernández during the first inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Monday, June 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernández gestures to his dugout after hitting a RBI double in the first inning at Coors Field on June 17, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernández gestures to the dugout after hitting an RBI double off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Cal Quantrill in the first inning of a baseball game Monday, June 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Cal Quantrill throws to the plate against the Dodgers during the first inning on Friday night in Denver. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas singles against Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Cal Quantrill in the third inning of a baseball game Monday, June 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani hits a double during the fourth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Monday night in Denver. Ohtani had two doubles among his three hits to go with an RBI and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot in the Dodgers’ 9-5 win. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani hits a double during the fourth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Monday night in Denver. Ohtani had two doubles among his three hits to go with an RBI and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot in the Dodgers’ 9-5 win. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani runs after hitting a double during the fourth inning of their game against the Colorado Rockies on Monday night in Denver. Ohtani had two doubles among his three hits to go with an RBI and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot in the Dodgers’ 9-5 win. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, center, slides safely into second base with a double as Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, right, bobbles the throw from the outfield while second base umpire Lance Barksdale, left, looks to make the call in the fourth inning of a baseball game Monday, June 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Dodgers starting pitcher James Paxton throws against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning at Coors Field on June 17, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani follows the flight of his double off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Jake Bird in the sixth inning of a baseball game Monday, June 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Dodgers’ Jason Heyward, right, scores in front of Colorado Rockies catcher Jacob Stallings on a double by Miguel Rojas in the seventh inning at Coors Field on June 17, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Dodgers starting pitcher James Paxton throws against the Colorado Rockies in the seventh inning at Coors Field on June 17, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Jason Heyward follows the flight of his two-run single off of Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Geoff Hartlieb in the eighth inning of a baseball game Monday, June 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Dodgers’ Jason Heyward hits a two-run single against the Colorado Rockies in the eighth inning at Coors Field on June 17, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani scores on a two-run single hit by Jason Heyward off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Geoff Hartlieb in the eighth inning of a baseball game Monday, June 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black, left, takes the ball from relief pitcher Geoff Hartlieb (36) who is pulled from the mound while catcher Jacob Stallings, right, looks on in the eighth inning of a game against the Dodgers on Monday, June 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Dodgers’ Gavin Lux follows the flight of his RBI double off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Justin Lawrence in the ninth inning of a baseball game Monday, June 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani steals second base in front of the Colorado Rockies’ Adael Amador during the eighth inning at Coors Field on June 17, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman singles against Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Justin Lawrence in the ninth inning of a baseball game Monday, June 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Dodgers’ Will Smith hits an RBI sacrifice fly against the Colorado Rockies in the ninth inning at Coors Field on June 17, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Colorado Rockies’ Hunter Goodman follows the flight of his two-run home run off of Dodgers relief pitcher J.P. Feyereisen in the ninth inning of a baseball game Monday, June 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Colorado Rockies’ Hunter Goodman celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Dodgers in the ninth inning at Coors Field on June 17, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Colorado Rockies’ Greg Jones hits a solo home run for his first career major league hit during the ninth inning of their game against the Dodgers on Monday night in Denver. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Colorado Rockies’ Greg Jones runs the bases after hitting a solo home run for his first career major league hit during the ninth inning of their game against the Dodgers on Monday night in Denver. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Dodgers catcher Will Smith, left, congratulates relief pitcher J.P. Feyereisen after he struck out the Colorado Rockies’ Alan Trejo to end a baseball game Monday, June 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
From left, Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández, center fielder Andy Pages and right fielder Jason Heyward celebrate after a game against the Colorado Rockies on Monday, June 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Shohei Ohtani doubled twice among his three hits, scored a pair of runs and drove in a run from the leadoff spot in place of Betts, and the NL West-leading Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies, 9-5, on Monday night at Coors Field.
Miguel Rojas, who is expected to get the bulk of the playing time at shortstop while Betts is sidelined, chipped in with three hits, including an RBI double. And he deftly handled his defensive chores in the field. Jason Heyward had a two-run single among his three hits and Freddie Freeman drew a career-high five walks, scoring twice. Will Smith had a run-scoring triple, Teoscar Hernandez added an RBI double and Cavan Biggio had an RBI single.
“It was a great performance across the board,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Miggy had a great night offensively and he was solid as always at short. Shohei sliding into the leadoff spot seamlessly was big, just up and down the line we got contributions.”
Freeman said the team’s depth and character will help the Dodgers ride out the team’s injury troubles.
“We have a lot of good guys in this group, a lot of veteran guys,” Freeman said. “A lot of us have been on teams that have lost people to injuries. But we’ve got a good group to hold it down.”
Still, Freeman conceded losing Betts and standout pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to injury on successive days over the weekend was a serious blow that will continue to test the team in the weeks ahead.
“Injuries are a part of this game, part of the grind of a season,” Freeman said. “You don’t think you’re going to lose two guys, the two guys that we lost on back-to-back days but that’s what happened. And no one is going to feel bad for us. But I think the game we played was huge for us and we’ll just hold it down until they get back.”
Dodgers starter James Paxton more than held up his end from the mound. Paxton (7-1) allowed one run on two hits in seven innings in his second straight strong outing since absorbing his only loss of the season on June 5, when he couldn’t get out of the second inning as part of a 10-6 defeat at Pittsburgh.
Paxton had eight strikeouts and finished with a flourish, striking out the side in his final inning.
“We had the good fastball, and the curveball was good, getting swings and misses at the bottom, so that was big,” Paxton said. “Will (Smith) did a great job of pushing buttons back there and it worked out.”
The only real damage the Rockies managed to inflict on Paxton was Jacob Stallings’ leadoff home run in the second inning. J.P. Feyereisen relieved Paxton to start the eighth and was one out away from finishing when pinch-hitter Greg Jones homered for his first major league hit.
Michael Toglia and Elehuris Montero then hit successive doubles and Hunter Goodman homered before Feyereisen fanning Alan Trejo for the game’s final out.
Leading 5-0, the Dodgers added two more runs in the eighth. Ohtani started the inning by drawing a walk, stole second on a play that survived replay review, and then went to third when reliever Geoff Hartlieb was called for a balk. One out later, Freeman was walked intentionally. Hernandez also walked to load the bases before Heyward came on to deliver a two-out, two-run single to right.
Gavin Lux had an RBI double in the ninth and Smith drove in his second run of the night with a sacrifice fly. Freeman, with a chance to tie the major league record with a sixth walk, worked the count to 2-and-2 against Justin Lawrence before singling sharply to right, extending his hitting streak to seven games.
“I was not going to walk. I was swinging,” Freeman said with a smile.
The Dodgers took command early against Colorado starter Cal Quantrill, scoring three times in the first two innings. And they finished strong, scoring six runs in the final three innings.
Quantrill (6-5) went five innings and allowed three runs on seven hits.
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