Goodman continues breakout season by becoming first Rockies catcher to hit 30 HRs

LOS ANGELES -- Through 14 innings of their series at Dodger Stadium, the Rockies offense had basically been silent.

A night after being held hitless into the ninth, the Colorado lineup needed 16 tries before producing a baserunner. It was the first time in franchise history the Rockies were no-hit through five innings in consecutive games.

Kyle Karros then singled to lead off the sixth. The son of former Dodger Erik Karros came around to score with the help of some poor defense and Tyler Freeman’s single to center field.

What has been an otherwise forgetful two games in L.A., including Tuesday’s 7-2 loss, was somewhat salvaged late by Hunter Goodman’s 30th home run.

“Since I’ve started playing pro ball, that’s been one of my goals every year,” Goodman said. “And to get to it in the big leagues is pretty cool."

Goodman achieved this milestone with two outs in the ninth and became the first Rockie to reach 30 homers since 2019. In his first full season as catcher, the 25-year-old added to his personal high as well as the club record for backstops.

“All the things he’s done this year have been incredible,” interim manager Warren Schaeffer said of the reigning NL Player of the Week. “I’m really happy for him.”

Goodman pulled a fastball from Kirby Yates and drove it 409 feet.

“I was looking for [that pitch] up and trying to stay off his splitter,” Goodman said. “He gave me a good fastball to hit.”

But the theme for the Rockies in the series has been their lack of contact. Colorado has managed six hits and three walks while striking out 24 times across the past two games. Emmet Sheehan followed up Tyler Glasnow’s dominant 11-K, seven-inning performance by fanning nine over seven. Sheehan’s slider was especially effective -- registering 12 whiffs.

Germán Márquez’s third outing since coming off the injured list was marred by inconsistent command and hard contact. Of the 22 Dodgers he faced, 18 put the ball in play with exit velocities at or above 91.7 mph.

“I wasn’t locating my pitches and they could take advantage of them,” Márquez said. “I wasn’t hitting my target as well as I should.”

A wild pitch allowed Will Smith to score after the Dodgers catcher led off the second with a double. Márquez got two straight outs to begin the third before encountering the teeth of the Los Angeles lineup. Following a walk to Shohei Ohtani, Márquez was bitten by the long ball as Mookie Betts sent one beyond the left-center field wall.

Teoscar Hernández then took him deep an inning later -- the 18th home run Márquez has surrendered in 112 2/3 frames.

“He just got behind in counts and that hurt him,” Shaeffer said. “He missed over the plate a little too much.”