​Looking for their first series win against the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2021, the Colorado Rockies could not close the gap as they fell 4-3 in the finale. Despite a stellar big-league debut on the mound, the Rockies’ offense failed to back their rookie starter and squandered several key scoring opportunities.
Gabriel Hughes didn’t roar out of the gate in his first major-league start. After inducing Shohei Ohtani to fly out in the bottom of the first, Hughes struggled with his command for the rest of the frame. Tommy Edman lined a ball back up the middle for a single and moved to third on Freddie Freeman’s double. Hughes then walked Mookie Betts to load the bases again before uncorking a wild pitch that allowed a run to score, giving the Dodgers an early 1-0 edge. He subsequently issued a walk to Max Muncy to reload the bases after a lengthy at-bat. Teoscar Hernández struck out for the second out, but Kyle Tucker lined a two-run single to push the Dodgers’ lead to 3-0. Hughes got Alex Call to strike out to end the inning, though his pitch count stood at 39.
The rookie settled in nicely in the second, delivering a 1-2-3 frame with a strikeout of Ohtani and Edman. He followed with another efficient inning in the third, fanning Freeman and Muncy as part of another 1-2-3. The fourth and fifth were clean as well, with no strikeouts recorded, and Hughes added another strikeout in the sixth while retiring 15 in a row before Muncy’s two-out double snapped the streak. He finished his night having allowed three runs on four hits over six innings, with seven strikeouts and two walks. After the first-inning burst of 39 pitches, Hughes threw 55 pitches across the next five frames and finished with a first-pitch strike rate around 80%. He also generated 11 whiffs and displayed a diverse, biting mix of offerings. “Gabriel Hughes was fantastic today,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “You never know how someone’s going to react to their first start, first time in Dodger Stadium, first time against that lineup. I thought it was a great first start.” He added, “It’s a perfect example of what happens when you attack guys with good stuff. They have to adjust to you. He was just relentless with his attack and it worked for him.”
After the rough first inning, Colorado wasted no time trying to chip away at the deficit. With one out in the second, facing Roki Sasaki, Kyle Karros stepped in and launched a ball for his fourth career home run against the Dodgers, pulling the Rockies within two. Two batters later, Edouard Julien joined the party with a solo homer to right field, his third of the season, further trimming the margin. Sasaki, who has surrendered nine home runs in his last five appearances, appeared vulnerable to the long ball as Colorado kept the pressure on.
In the following frame, the Rockies manufactured a run to tie the game, demonstrating their willingness to scratch and claw for every inch. While the offense did eventually put a couple of runs on the board, the rally was not enough to overcome the early deficit, and Colorado ultimately fell short in the series finale. The defeat snapped the Rockies’ bid for a first series win against the Dodgers in three years, but the performance from Hughes offered a promising glimpse of potential for the rookie in future starts. As Schaeffer noted, the youngster’s approach and command bodes well for the team’s rotation as they move forward in a demanding stretch of the schedule.