Los Angeles Dodgers’ Chris Taylor singles off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Bryan Shaw during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig tosses his bat as he breaks from the batter’s box after hitting a ground ball that drove in a run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. Puig was out at first. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler delivers a pitch to Colorado Rockies’ Carlos Gonzalez in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confers with players before facing the Colorado Rockies in a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Matt Kemp, left, advances to third base on a double hit by Joc Pederson as Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado covers the bag in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal, left, loses control of the ball as he tries to tag
out Colorado Rockies’ Trevor Story (27) who scores on a single by Tony Wolters in the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies’ DJ LeMahieu (9) follows the flight of his double to drive in two runs off Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler in the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies’ DJ LeMahieu, right, claps after pulling into second base with a two-run double, as as Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Breyvic Valera stands near the base during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler reacts after giving up an RBI-single to Colorado Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon in the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler, left, confers with pitching coach Rick Honeycutt and catcher Yasmani Grandal after Buehler gave up an RBI single to Colorado Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Joc Pederson circles he bases after hitting a solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez in the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig, left, congratulates Joc Pederson as he heads back to the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez reacts after walking Los Angeles Dodgers’ Matt Kemp in the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black gestures to starter German Marquez who struggles while pitching to Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Turner in the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Joc Pederson follows through with his swing after connecting for a solo home urn off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez in the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Joc Pederson gestures after crossing home plate following his solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez in the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Matt Kemp, left, follows the flight of his two-run home run with Colorado Rockies catcher Tony Wolters in the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Matt Kemp, left, celebrates with Cody Bellinger while passing the on-deck circle after hitting a two-run home run off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Bryan Shaw in the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Matt Kemp runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Bryan Shaw during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Matt Kemp gestures as he crosses home plate after hitting a two-run home run off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Bryan Shaw in the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Breyvic Valera watches his two-run single off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Mike Dunn during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Chris Taylor follows the flight of his triple to drive in two runs off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Harrison Musgrave in the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies first baseman Ian Desmond, left, waits with relief pitcher Mike Dunn as Dunn is about to be removed after giving up a two-run single to Los Angeles Dodgers’ Breyvic Valera during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Daniel Hudson delivers a pitch to a Colorado Rockies batter during the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. The Dodgers won 12-4. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
DENVER, CO – JUNE 02: Charlie Blackmon #19 of the Colorado Rockies is tagged out at home by Yasmani Grandal #9 of the Los Angeles Dodgers to end the first inning of a game at Coors Field on June 2, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – JUNE 02: Joc Pederson #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates after scoring a second inning run against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 2, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – JUNE 02: Joc Pederson #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with Yasiel Puig #66 after hitting a fourth inning solo homerun against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 2, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – JUNE 02: Chris Taylor #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers slides safely into second base under a tag attempt by DJ LeMahieu #9 of the Colorado Rockies for a steal in the fifth inning of a game at Coors Field on June 2, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – JUNE 02: Matt Kemp #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers watches the flight of a seventh inning 2-run homerun against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 2, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Joc Pederson celebrates in the dugout after scoring a second-inning run during Saturday’s game against the Rockies in Denver. Pederson had four hits in the game, including two home runs and a double. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – JUNE 02: Breyvic Valera #33 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a 2-RBI single against the Colorado Rockies in the seventh inning at Coors Field on June 2, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – JUNE 02: Matt Kemp #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a seventh inning two-run homerun against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 2, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Joc Pederson, left, celebrates with right fielder Yasiel Puig, right, as center fielder Enrique Hernandez follows the pair after the Dodgers retired Colorado Rockies’ Noel Cuevas for the final out in the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 2, 2018, in Denver. The Dodgers won 12-4. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
DENVER — The sky isn’t falling any more, if it ever was.
Now, it’s the rest of the division falling, coming right back to a Dodgers team that survived being painfully mortal for the season’s first 40 games.
The Dodgers scored eight runs in the seventh inning Saturday, thoroughly breaking open a tie game and handing the Colorado Rockies a 12-4 defeat. The eight-run inning was the Dodgers’ biggest scoring burst since another eight-run inning on August 16, 2016 in Philadelphia.
And the win was the Dodgers’ 12th in their past 16 games. Depending on the outcome of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ game Saturday night, the Dodgers will finish the night 2 or 2 ½ games out of first place in the National League West. It is the closest the Dodgers have been to first place in the division since April 2.
“It means we’re playing good baseball right now and we made up for a month and a half of not so good baseball,” said Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp who had a two-run home run in Saturday’s big inning. “But we’ve got a long ways to go. I’m sure as we get healthier and healthier we’re going to get better.”
At times over the past two months, it seemed like the Dodgers would never get healthy. It still seems that way. But Kemp is an optimist.
“I hope so. That’s the plan,” Kemp said. “I think at some point we will be healthy. I pray to God.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts defended the NL West before Saturday’s game. Only two teams in the division (the Rockies and Diamondbacks) have winning records and those two have been sinking towards .500 at a fast rate over the past few weeks. But Roberts said it’s too early to judge how tough the competition is when so many of the teams have been robbed of top players due to injuries.
He might have a point. But a third of the way into the season, it’s starting to look like the Dodgers might eventually claim their sixth consecutive division title — even if Kemp’s prayers aren’t answered.
The Rockies pinned their hopes on a heavy offseason investment in their bullpen. They committed $106 million to relievers last winter and will pay more in salary to their bullpen than their starting rotation this season.
You don’t always get what you pay for. The Rockies’ bullpen is one of the worst in the majors and the Dodgers have done their part to cement that standing over the past two days. They have scored 23 runs in the first two games of this series, 14 in seven innings against Rockies relievers.
Saturday’s bullpen bashing began quietly. With the game tied 4-4, Chris Taylor and Justin Turner singled to start the seventh. Yasmani Grandal hustled to beat out a double play, allowing the go-ahead run to score.
“If he doesn’t beat that out, we don’t have that big inning. I think we kind of fed off that,” Kemp said. “I think Grandal knows he’s not the fastest guy out there. But he busted down the line, trying to make something happen. He got a ribbie out of it and we just went from there.”
Instead of coming up with two outs and the bases empty, Kemp followed with a two-run home run and the floodgates opened.
The Dodgers sent 12 batters to the plate in the seventh inning and collected six hits and three walks against three Rockies relievers. When the order came around to him again, Taylor had a two-run triple. Breyvic Valera had a two-run single. Another run scored on a wild pitch.
Joc Pederson had a single in the seventh-inning gluttony, one of four hits in the game for him including two home runs.