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Power display lifts Rox over Dodgers

Apr 7, 2011 - 1:31 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Todd Helton belted a three-run homer in the third inning and Troy Tulowitzki added a two-run shot in the fourth as the Rockies topped the Dodgers, 7-5, to sweep a short two-game set at Coors Field.

Tulowitzki finished 2-for-4 and scored twice for the Rockies, while Carlos Gonzalez added two hits with an RBI and scored three times for the victors.

Jason Hammel (1-0) went five innings, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out a pair of batters.

"I actually won that game, that's pretty crazy," Hammel said. "It definitely was not my best but I made pitches when I needed to and we came out on top."

James Loney and Rod Barajas both hit solo homers for the Dodgers, who got a 2-for-3 effort with an RBI and run scored from Casey Blake, who made his regular-season debut in the loss.

Blake has been out since late March due to a sprained lower back but his return was not enough to lift the Dodgers to victory. Chad Billingsley (1-1) lasted only three innings, allowing five runs on six hits while striking out three.

"This is just one of those days," Billingsley said of his outing. "It's tough to pitch when you are behind in the count."

The Rockies got the scoring started in the bottom of the first as Seth Smith double to right center with one-out, and scored on Gonzalez's double to right. Gonzalez later scored on Jose Lopez's single to left to give Colorado an early 2-0 lead.

Loney got the Dodgers on the board with his first homer of the year with one out in the second, and Barajas led of the third with his solo shot to even the game at two.

Rafael Furcal walked two batters later and was plated on Blake's triple to right-center. Andre Ethier then laced a single to right to right that easily scored Blake, capping the three-run inning and giving the Dodgers a 4-2 edge.

The Rockies responded, though, as Gonzalez walked to open the home half of the third and a Tulowitzki single put runners on first and third. Helton then smacked his first homer of the season over the right field wall to give the Rockies the go-ahead run.

Blake Hawksworth entered the game for Billingsley in the fourth, and after Gonzalez hit a one-out single to left-center, Tulowitzki hit his second homer of the season to widen the Rockies' lead to 7-4.

Juan Uribe knocked in Los Angeles' final run as he scored Matt Kemp on a grounder to second in the eighth.

Huston Street came in to close out the ninth for the Rockies, and despite allowing back-to-back singles to start the frame regained his composure and sat down three-straight to secure his third save of the season.

Game Notes

The Colorado Rockies placed right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez on the 15-day disabled list with a cuticle cut on his pitching thumb Wednesday...The Dodgers were 11-7 against the Rockies last season, winning each of the final four meetings.