LOS ANGELES -- Much of baseball came to Dodger Stadium on Sunday to shop, with Rockies starting pitcher Jon Gray on display as the clock ticks toward Friday’s Trade Deadline. Scouts saw Gray’s competitiveness and resourcefulness pull him through five teeth-pulling innings against a Dodgers lineup that is persnickety about the strike zone.

Gray was not his strike-throwing self in the early innings but, as has been the case in several starts, he gained control of the zone as the outing progressed. There were two costly blips -- home runs by Rockies nemesis Chris Taylor in Gray’s first and last frames.

And after Gray left, those with scouting reports to file and those cheering in Dodger blue stayed for a heck of a game with a familiar ending. Will Smith homered in the eighth off Carlos Estévez for a 3-2 victory as the Dodgers took 2-of-3 in a competitive series.

With four strikeouts on Sunday, Gray upped his career total to 783, second-most in Rockies history behind Jorge De La Rosa’s 985. Whether it’s 783 and counting is beyond his control -- and he admitted a little surprise that the uncertainty didn’t weigh on him.

“I’ve been able to block it out, and I didn’t think I’d be able to do a good job of that,” said Gray, who needed 106 pitches to navigate his five innings. “With all the chatter and everything, it can be hard to get away from sometimes. But I’m just enjoying every day, and every day is a blessing. I don’t, I can’t, control the future.”

Sunday’s present was enough of a challenge with a Dodgers lineup that doesn’t chase featuring a problem hitter -- Taylor, who has four homers in 12 games against the Rockies this year and 15 home runs and 42 RBIs in his career vs. Colorado.

“The first one, I wouldn’t say it was a terrible pitch,” Gray said. “It probably wasn’t the best location, but it was sharp enough. He’s just on time right now.

“The second one really took me by surprise. I tried to sneak a curveball in there and drove it close to him. He’s seeing the ball well right now.”

Acting manager Mike Redmond said Gray turned in a “gutsy effort -- pitchers don’t always have their 'A' game, but that just shows how good Jon’s stuff is.”

Rockies catcher Elias Díaz homered in the second inning, but the Rockies went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. The roster, however, was short because Ryan McMahon was held out with a lower leg injury that needed rest.

The Rockies’ 9-6, 10-inning victory on Friday night was an aberration for a team that is almost totally dependent on its pitching away from home. But it wasn’t enough on Sunday -- same as Saturday night, when Kyle Freeland threw seven innings in a 1-0 loss.

So Gray on Sunday was the mature pitcher he has been all season: Want a guy with a heavy fastball that often reaches the upper 90s, a slider that can dominate when on and growing resourcefulness? Call Rockies interim general manager Bill Schmidt, who has his own priorities to balance. Does he disturb a solid rotation that features the club's 2013 third overall Draft pick?

For Gray and potential trading partners, there is another issue: Gray has said he enjoys the challenge of trying to make the Rockies a winner and that he is interested in re-signing with the club. Could the Rockies deal him and try to sign him as a free agent in the offseason? Do they make a late contract offer?

Gray’s next scheduled turn is on Friday, Deadline day. So it’s anyone’s guess whether he’ll take the mound for the Rockies at San Diego.