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Maddux helps Dodgers take NL wild card lead

Sep 27, 2006 - 3:30 AM DENVER (Ticker) -- This is why the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Greg Maddux.

Maddux pitched six solid innings and Nomar Garciaparra homered and drove in three runs as the Dodgers won for the fourth time in five games with an 11-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

Los Angeles (83-74) moved one game ahead of Philadelphia, which dropped a 4-3 decision at Washington earlier Tuesday, atop the National League wild card standings. However, it still remains two behind first-place San Diego in the NL West.

"I wasn't watching the scoreboard, but we worry about what we have to do and if we do what we have to do, we'll be there," Garciaparra said.

Maddux (14-14), who came over in a trade from the Chicago Cubs on July 31, won his first three outings but has gone a lowly 1-3 since.

The four-time Cy Young Award winner turned it around in this one, yielding three runs and seven hits to improve to 12-5 lifetime against the Rockies. He struck out three and walked none.

"I never really got comfortable; here (Coors Field) you just battle," Maddux said. "You just try to keep going. I've seen a lot of big innings in this park. No lead is safe and you just keep going."

Garciaparra delivered an RBI single during a three-run first inning and launched his 20th homer - a two-run blast - in the fifth against Rockies starter Jason Jennings (9-13). The first baseman has nine RBI over his last three contests.

"We just have to go out there and keep playing," Garciaparra said.

In the sixth, Dodgers rookie Russell Martin stroked a three-run triple and scored on a wild pitch before Marlon Anderson capped the five-run frame with his 11th homer to make it 11-1. Russell and Anderson combined to drive in six runs.

"The main thing is that we won, that's what this team is looking to do right now," Anderson said.

Brad Hawpe homered twice, in the sixth and ninth, for Colorado, which has dropped 13 of 17 against Los Angeles this season.

"We haven't been able to answer much they've thrown at us," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said.

Jennings gave up six runs and nine hits with five walks in five frames.

"It's a pretty impressive lineup, pretty balanced right and left, got some speed up at the top and it's a tough team to get out," Jennings said.