Blach thrives in head-to-head vs. Kershaw

LOS ANGELES -- They are celebrating Fernando Valenzuela at Dodger Stadium this weekend, with a different left-hander taking the time to reminisce about his finest moments in Los Angeles -- and especially against the home club.

The Rockies’ Ty Blach was carving up the Dodgers’ potent offense on Thursday, much like he was doing in 2016 when the then-25-year-old made a splash in one of baseball’s best rivalries.

It was also eerily similar to Opening Day 2018, when Blach went toe-to-toe with another legendary Dodgers left-hander, Clayton Kershaw, with Blach helping pitch the Giants to a 1-0 victory.

This time, though, it ended in heartbreak for Blach, who fired six scoreless innings in another duel with Kershaw, only to give up a game-tying home run to Max Muncy to lead off the seventh and end Blach's evening. Muncy added a bases-loaded walk in the eighth against Daniel Bard in the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory.

Afterward, Blach held his head high after his longest outing since 2018. He gave up his lone run on three hits over six-plus innings with two walks and two strikeouts.

“Some of my best games have come against [Kershaw],” Blach said. “I just have the utmost respect for who he is as a person and as a player. It’s always a great opportunity, any chance I get to go up against him. Unfortunately, we just weren’t able to pull it off tonight.”

Despite making only his fourth start of the season -- all since July 23 -- Blach had confidence in his opportunity on Thursday. That’s what can happen when a sinkerball pitcher goes to work with a strong infield defense behind him.

After an uncharacteristic throwing error by shortstop Ezequiel Tovar proved costly to the Rockies in a loss at Milwaukee on Wednesday, he made amends with a spectacular defensive effort in Los Angeles.

Tovar made a sliding stop on a smash up the middle by the Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas to get an out in the fifth inning. He started a 6-4-3 double play to get Blach out of the sixth inning. And his running catch in shallow left field in the eighth inning prevented the Dodgers from taking the lead -- until they ultimately went on top one batter later on Muncy’s bases-loaded walk.

“Tovar, since May 1, has arguably been the best defensive shortstop in the game,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “I mean, look at the numbers. He’s been magnificent.”

Black gave praise to all of his infielders, including third baseman Ryan McMahon to second baseman Alan Trejo and first baseman Michael Toglia.

“I can’t think of a better [defense] ever behind me before,” said Blach. “You have guys who should win Gold Gloves in all four places there. It’s really fun when you’ve got that as a ground-ball pitcher, knowing that those plays are going to get made behind you more times than not.”

Yet despite getting the starting pitching and defense the Rockies were looking for in L.A., there was no getting past the Dodgers, who saw Kershaw give up one run in five innings in his return from a shoulder injury. The lone run came on a fifth-inning home run from Elehuris Montero.

“[Blach] doesn’t waver from what he does, and it’s really great to see,” Black said. “It’s fastball command at 90, 91, 89 mph, both sides of the plate. Changes speeds, keeps the ball down, will pitch inside effectively.

“... He’s making pitches and keeping the ball in the middle of the plate. I don’t want to say an old-school style of pitching, but you don’t see a lot of starting pitchers with his mix.”

In his second career outing in 2016, Blach pitched three scoreless innings at Dodger Stadium. Two appearances later, while making his second career start, Bach closed out the regular season in San Francisco with eight scoreless innings against the Dodgers, earning his first career win.

“Every time I come here I have a lot of great memories,” Blach said. “... I always draw on those experiences and cherish every opportunity I get to take the ball out here.”