Forget Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.” The Rockies sure would like to forget the Dodger Stadium victory song that so often plays them off the field, including Wednesday night after a 4-2 loss.

The latest defeat -- since the start of 2019, the 14th in the last 17 at Chavez Ravine and the 27th in the last 35 overall -- was more apropos for the Rolling Stones: “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”

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In the grand scheme, the positives could convert into something tangible. But what the Rockies really wanted didn’t come their way, and they fell to 0-5 on their first road trip of the season, which ends Thursday night against the Dodgers.

But here are three takeaways, which the Rockies can only hope lead to what they need.

1) Gray’s grit, amid more strike zone frustration
Jon Gray, who entered with a 1.54 ERA, threw 36 first-inning pitches while falling behind, 2-0. But the true wonder was he gave up just one more run -- Justin Turner’s third-inning leadoff homer into a fan’s nachos -- despite 89 pitches in four innings.

As was the case in Tuesday’s 7-0 loss, when not getting a third-strike call compounded Antonio Senzatela’s problems, a disputed call by plate umpire Phil Cuzzi on a full-count pitch to Gavin Lux prolonged a difficult inning for Gray. Gray squatted behind the mound in disbelief and protest. Manager Bud Black shouted bitterly -- foreshadowing his third-inning ejection over a called strike to the Rockies’ Garrett Hampson.

Lux extended the contentious plate appearance with foul balls, then drove in the second run on a sacrifice fly.

“Whatever happened with the strike call ... whatever. It’s in the past,” said Gray, whose 2021 resolution is to not let bad outings, disputed calls or anything else linger.

He didn’t.

“It was gutsy, right?” said bench coach Mike Redmond, who ran the team in Black’s absence. “Early, he maybe wasn’t quite as sharp as in the second inning and third inning, and this is a ballclub where these guys take, foul off pitches, get to 3-2 and they make you make your pitch.”

Gray said he made adjustments to command pitches -- too late for Wednesday, but in time to matter in future starts.

“You’ve got to hang on to what you need to hang on to, and ditch the rest of it,” he said.

2) Ending negative history isn’t positive enough
The Rockies had momentum within their reach when Trevor Story’s bases-loaded RBI single with one out in the fifth ended the team’s 26-inning scoreless streak -- tied for fifth longest in club history. But after Charlie Blackmon’s fielder’s choice grounder cut the deficit to 3-2, the Rockies scored nothing else.

Story said it felt in real time like the Rockies’ offensive road trip nightmare was ending. But they didn’t take those good feelings to bed with them, even though they matched the Dodgers’ nine hits.

“Tomorrow is a separate entity,” Story said. “I think it'd be different if we scored six, seven runs and lost that way. But two is just not going to get it done.”

3) Bullpen’s navigation system worked
Had the Rockies flipped the game, the scoreless relief work of Yency Almonte, Tyler Kinley and Mychal Givens (the latter two through high traffic) would have been the story. Closer Daniel Bard, pitching for the first time in six days, didn’t give up anything beyond Zach McKinstry’s eighth-inning leadoff homer.

A team that couldn’t overcome a one-run deficit during a rough trip could not make up two runs against Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen. But the ‘pen did adhere to the only formula that works against the patient and powerful Dodgers: attack the strike zone and hang on tightly.

“I don't know if that's the way it has to be -- obviously, we would want it a lot easier,” Redmond said. “But these guys have track records. This is what they do to teams.”