Rockies' bullpen shuts down Dodgers for 4-3 victory at Coors Field

Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post on Apr 18, 2026

Published in Baseball

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DENVER — First baseman Troy Johnston got the big hits, but it was the Rockies’ resplendent relievers who deserved to take a bow on Saturday night at Coors Field.

In a heart-in-your-throat, 4-3 victory over the Dodgers, Colorado relievers Brennan Bernardino, Jaden Hill and Victor Vodnik combined to pitch 3 1/3 scoreless innings.

Vodnik pitched the ninth for his third save, but it didn’t come easily. Will Smith delivered a pinch-hit single for the Dodgers, and Shohei Ohtani singled to right, extending his on-base streak to 50 games. But Vodnik induced Kyle Tucker to pop out to left field, clinching the victory.

There was plenty of drama for an announced sellout crowd of 47,925, many of whom donned Dodger blue. Los Angeles loaded the bases in the eighth when Ohtani reached on catcher’s interference (Hunter Goodman was charged with an error), Tucker singled, and Teoscar Hernandez reached on a two-out walk by Hill. But Hill got the dangerous Max Muncy to tap a groundout to second base.

Crisis averted, high-fives in the dugout for Hill.

The Rockies took a 4-3 lead with a two-run sixth inning, finally coming through with the clutch hits that have eluded them so often. Goodman led off with a double, Ezequiel Tovar singled off the leg of reliever Will Klein, and Johnston drove them both in with a double to right-center.

Right-hander Ryan Feltner shook off a shaky beginning to give the Rockies what they needed: toughness and some needed length from a starter. Feltner pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits, including two solo homers. Feltner struck out five and walked only one.

For the historic record: Ohtani, the Dodgers superstar, went 0 for 3 vs. Feltner and is now 1 for 10 in his career vs. the right-hander.

Third baseman Kyle Karros rescued Feltner with a sensational play in the sixth. After Freddie Freeman scorched a two-out triple to left-center, Karros robbed Hernandez of extra bases with a diving stop and a perfect throw to first for the out.

The Rockies got off to an inauspicious start. On the first pitch of the game, Ohtani hit a high chopper to Johnston behind first base. Johnston threw wildly to Feltner, running to cover the bag. Feltner appeared to tweak his back on the play but stayed in the game.

On the next pitch, Tucker ambushed Feltner’s 94.6-mph fastball, sending it over the right-center-field wall for a 435-foot, two-run homer.

But Colorado shook off the punch. In the bottom of the frame, a double by Mickey Moniak, followed by an RBI single by rookie TJ Rumfield cut Los Angeles’ lead to 2-1.

L.A. extended its lead to 3-1 in the second on a Dalton Rushing homer off Feltner that barely crept into the right-field seats. The Rockies responded in their at-bat, combining a leadoff single and stolen base by Johnston with a sacrifice fly by Karros to slice the lead to 3-2.