Mookie Betts delivers a clutch 2-strike hit in the eighth as Dodgers beat Rockies 4-3

By: Beth Harris, The Associated Press Posted: 11:48 PM CDT Wednesday, Jul. 8, 2026 Last Modified: 12:23 AM CDT Thursday, Jul. 9, 2026

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mookie Betts singled in the go-ahead run with two strikes in the eighth inning, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night in the series finale.

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Betts ended the nine-pitch at-bat with his hit to center off Rockies reliever Antonio Senzatela (8-1) that scored Tommy Edman, who singled and moved to third on Freddie Freeman’s double.

The Dodgers took two of three to prevent Colorado from winning its first series at Dodger Stadium since August 2021.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The Rockies loaded the bases against reliever Alex Vesia in the eighth, but Edgardo Henriquez (4-0) came in and got Kyle Karros to fly out for the third out.

Tanner Scott retired the side in the ninth to earn his 13th save.

Colorado’s Gabriel Hughes had a rough first inning in his first major league start. The 24-year-old right-hander gave up three runs, with Tommy Edman singling and scoring on Hughes’ wild pitch and a two-run RBI single by Kyle Tucker.

Hughes then settled down and retired 15 consecutive batters before Max Muncy’s double in the sixth. The Alaska native retired Shohei Ohtani three times, including a strikeout. Ohtani struck out a second time in the eighth on his bobblehead night after homering in the first two games of the series.

The Rockies answered with three runs to tie it at 3.

Karros and Edouard Julien hit solo shots off Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki in the second. Brett Sullivan walked, took second on Sasaki’s wild pitch, moved to third on a groundout and scored on Mickey Moniak’s sacrifice fly in the third.

Sasaki gave up three runs and four hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked one.