Bolsinger stymies Rockies in Dodgers' 1-0 win

LOS ANGELES (AP) Injuries to the Los Angeles Dodgers' rotation provided an opening for Mike Bolsinger to make his mark in his second big league season. He's done that and more in his three starts, allowing just two runs in 17 1-3 innings.

Bolsinger pitched three-hit ball through six against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, and batterymate Yasmani Grandal singled home the only run in a 1-0 victory that salvaged a split of the Dodgers' four-game series with the Colorado Rockies.

''If you pitch well, you're going to put yourself in a good position,'' Bolsinger said. ''I just go out there and try to nibble at the corners. That's just the way I pitch. The first time I came up, I wanted to leave a good impression. And I thought I did.''

Bolsinger (2-0) struck out six, walked two and allowed only one runner past first base. The 27-year-old right-hander is filling in for injured righty Brandon McCarthy, who is out for the season because of torn ligament in his elbow.

''He's learned how to pitch a little bit better by knowing what he can do with different types of pitches, where to throw them and when to throw them in different types of counts,'' Grandal said. ''That's what's worked out for him so well.''

Kenley Jansen, who returned from the disabled list Friday after left foot surgery in February and had four strikeouts in the eighth inning of the Dodgers' 6-4 victory, was back in his customary closer's role and pitched a perfect ninth for the save.

''I felt great, felt pumped up, and did my job,'' Jansen said. ''I was pumped up both times out. Today it was my first time in the ninth with a one-run lead, when you can't make a mistake.''

Kyle Kendrick (1-5) was the hard-luck loser, limiting the NL West leaders to a run and three hits over seven innings with five walks and one strikeout. The right-hander came in with a 9.27 ERA and 10 home runs allowed in six starts since his 10-0 win at Milwaukee on opening day.

''I didn't get the W, so it's not as satisfying as it could be,'' Kendrick said. ''I was getting ahead in the count today most of the time and gave the team a chance to win.''

The Dodgers got their run in the fourth on Grandal's hit toward the hole past shortstop Daniel Descalso, after Adrian Gonzalez singled with two outs and Justin Turner walked. They threatened for more in the sixth, but Andre Ethier lined out to center field after Kendrick walked the bases full.

''I could have gone with a matchup there, but I felt like Kyle was really battling. He deserved it, and he came through by getting Ethier out,'' said manager Walt Weiss, who missed the first two games of the series after undergoing an emergency appendectomy.

Colorado batters struck out 54 times in the series against a pitching staff that has fanned 343 batters this season, second most in the majors behind Cleveland's 345.

Leadoff hitter Charlie Blackmon, who struck out nine times in the four games, was ejected by Foster in the third inning after a swinging strikeout that stranded runners at the corners.

Blackmon was fuming about a called strike earlier in the at-bat.

''I'm not blaming anything on anybody. I got frustrated and I overreacted,'' Blackmon said after his first ejection in 338 big league games. ''When something like that happens, you collect your composure and continue to compete - and I failed to do that right there.''

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rockies: LF Corey Dickerson, who left Saturday night's game for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning after aggravating the Plantar Fasciitis in his left foot, batted for Kendrick in the seventh and fouled out. ... SS Troy Tulowitzki missed his third straight game because of stiffness in his left quadriceps.

Dodgers: LF Carl Crawford (right oblique strain) nor RF Yasiel Puig (left hamstring strain) have been sidelined for at least three weeks each, and both are eligible to come off the DL. But neither is close to a minor league rehab assignment.

UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP Jordan Lyles (2-3) squares off against Philadelphia's Cole Hamels in the opener of a three-game series at Coors Field. In his previous start Wednesday, Lyles was knocked out of the game after he was struck on his pitching hand by a line drive off the bat of the Angels' Albert Pujols in the first inning.

Dodgers: RHP Carlos Frias (3-0) opposes Tim Hudson on Tuesday night when the Dodgers open a three-game set at San Francisco before returning home to play the Padres.