Nothing “fishy” about Rockies’ 9-6 win as they reel in Dodgers for second-straight day

DENVER — Rockies Report, Game 22:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Two diving catches saved four runs, and in a 9-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, that made all the difference for the Rockies.

In the sixth, it was Mickey Moniak with the honors, as he chased down a Shohei Ohtani shot that tailed toward the left-field corner, stretching out to haul it in, allowing Antonio Senzatela to escape a runners-on-the-corners, two-out jam.

In the two innings that followed, the Rox accumulated six runs, waltzing into the ninth with a 9-4 lead. But after Ohtani, Will Smith, Max Muncy and Andy Pages reached base — with Ohtani and Smith already on the board — more outfield wizardry was required.

It came from Troy Johnston, who sprinted under Ryan Ward’s fly ball just as it was about to drop. Had it fallen, Muncy and Pages would have scored and the go-ahead run would have strolled to the plate.

Clutch Troy 😤 pic.twitter.com/ei0B1ExS4C

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) April 19, 2026

Instead, the Rockies earned their first back-to-back wins over the Dodgers since taking the final game of the season series in 2023 and then winning the first game against the Dodgers in 2024.

In front of a Coors Field crowd of 42,677, the Rockies piled up a pair of three-run outbursts in the seventh and eighth innings at the expense of Dodgers relievers Blake Treinen and Edwin Diaz. Both failed to record an out.

Treinen entered in the seventh with the Dodgers up 4-3. That evaporated quickly, as Edouard Julien doubled to the right-center-field wall after working a 3-2 count. One pitch later, Moniak blasted his sixth home run of the season, a 428-foot shot that landed in the Colorado bullpen.

That it came on a first-pitch swing was significant as the Rockies were quick to celebrate hits by mimicking the motion of reeling in a fish.

(Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

It was their response to the postgame comments Saturday from Los Angeles’ Dalton Rushing, who described the Rockies’ success at connecting on first pitches as “a little fishy.”

Dalton Rushing said it was ‘a little fishy’ how the #Rockies hitters were swinging at the first pitch and connecting. Rushing found it very odd.

“I think they had a good game plan as an opposing team, and maybe I pitched into their game plan. As far as calling pitches, I'm not… pic.twitter.com/ftqnzlRC92

— Fredo Cervantes (@FredoCervantes) April 19, 2026

“Obviously we all saw the comments,” Moniak said. “You know, it is what it is. Yeah, we’re still going to keep being aggressive. The stuff over the plate, we’re going to jump on it.”

The Rockies banged out 15 hits, their second-highest total of the season. They improved to 9-13, including a 6-3 mark at home. They’ve won six of their last seven home games after an 0-2 start and they have a plus-14 run differential at home since their 10-1 home-opener defeat on April 3.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

After a tough third inning in which three-consecutive Dodgers reached base and two scored — capped by Ohtani’s RBI double to right field, one of two-extra base hits for the Japanese superstar Sunday — Michael Lorenzen was able to limit the damage in the fourth inning after three of the first four batters reached base, escaping with one run allowed to keep the Rockies close, allowing time for them to rally.

This was Lorenzen’s third Coors Field start since joining the Rockies, and his adjustment to his new environment continues.

“I thought my spin would be a little more affected, to be honest,” he said. “I like my spin. It hasn’t been that drastic of a change for me. There hasn’t been any sense of, ‘Oh, I can’t throw this pitch here.’ So, that’s been a great surprise.

“There’s a lot of outfield space, so that’s the only thing of giving up the hits, where our outfielders have to play a lot deeper than normal. That’s the thing that gets you here, is all the hits that you’re going to give up on — not necessarily hard contact, but shorter fly balls into the outfield, and that can get a little frustrating.”

He went five innings and could have gone longer, but the length of the Rockies’ half of the fifth led Warren Schaeffer to insert Antonio Senzatela for the sixth inning, ending Lorenzen’s day at 88 pitches. Nevertheless, it was a solid rebound from last Tuesday’s rough night in which he lasted just 2 2/3 innings.

Senzatela pitched two innings and received credit for the win, his first of the campaign. He surrendered his first run of the season, but got out of a two-out, two-on jam in the sixth thanks to Moniak’s grab.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Johnston made his diving catch to end the game.

NUMBER TO NOTE: 9 — Number of players in the Rockies’ starting lineup who recorded at least one hit Sunday. Among the four players with multi-hit games was third-baseman Kyle Karros, who also launched his second career home run to pull the Rox within 3-2 in the fifth.

4⃣4⃣8⃣ FT

KYLE! pic.twitter.com/a4x0Uo4rmT

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) April 19, 2026

WHAT’S NEXT: Jose Quintana goes for his first win in a Colorado uniform. Los Angeles counters with Justin Wrobleski, who is off to a 2-0 start with a 2.12 ERA. First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. MDT.

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