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Rockies begin stretch of NL West games at LA

May 30, 2011 - 2:46 PM (Sports Network) - Losses in eight of their last 10 games have the Colorado Rockies dipping in the division, but they will have plenty of chances to make up some ground over the next two weeks.

The Rox begin a stretch of 16 straight against fellow National League West residents, beginning with tonight's opener of a three-game series versus the Los Angeles Dodgers that begins Colorado's nine-game road trip.

The Rockies found themselves at the top of the division thanks to an 11-2 start, but they have gone just 14-25 since and now sit 3 1/2 games back of the first-place Diamondbacks. While they won't play Arizona over this stretch of division games, they will get a three-game look at the Giants following this series. San Francisco is three games ahead of Colorado in the standings.

First, the Rockies head to Los Angeles after losing the rubber match of a three-game home set with St. Louis on Sunday. Colorado pushed late, but dropped a 4-3 game.

Eric Young Jr. had two RBI, including one in the ninth inning that made it a one-run game. Young then moved to third on a Dexter Fowler single, but Carlos Gonzalez grounded out to shortstop to end the game.

"We had great offensive opportunities," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "We had a real chance in the ninth. We got the guys we wanted up in those situations. But they got us out."

Jhoulys Chacin gave up four runs on six hits to record the loss.

Los Angeles will play host to Colorado after taking two of three from Florida over the weekend at Dodger Stadium. Sunday's rubber match was never in doubt as Clayton Kershaw threw a two-hit shutout and struck out 10 in an 8-0 triumph.

Kershaw hurled the second shutout of his career and also went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored.

"It was a good day out there as getting the runs early was huge," said Kershaw. "I threw strikes and things worked. It was a fun game for the team all around."

Rafael Furcal hit a two-run homer and Andre Ethier took up residency on the base paths by going 3-for-3 with two walks.

Los Angeles won 11 of 18 versus Colorado a season ago, but the Rockies opened up the season series this year by sweeping a two-game set at home on April 5-6. The two hurlers from that set's finale rematch tonight, with Colorado's Jason Hammel squaring off again versus Chad Billingsley of Los Angeles.

Hammel got the better of Billingsley in a 7-5 win on April 6. The right-hander gave up four runs over five innings in his season debut, improving to 2-1 with a 3.79 earned run average in nine games (six starts) lifetime in this series. Billingsley, meanwhile, was drilled for five runs over just three innings to fall to 2-5 with a 5.40 ERA in 12 career games (10 starts) versus the Rockies.

Billingsley, though, does have a 3.77 ERA in his last six games at home versus Colorado and snapped a string of three straight losses overall this season by beating Houston on Tuesday. The 26-year-old righty lasted six innings and allowed four runs on five hits and three walks of a 5-4 win with nine strikeouts.

Billingsley picked up his first win since April 22 and is 3-4 with a 3.69 ERA in 11 starts this season.

Hammel, meanwhile, is winless in his last five starts -- all Colorado losses -- and is personally 0-3 in that span. The 28-year-old did pitch well enough to win last time out on Wednesday versus Arizona, allowing two unearned runs on five hits and two walks over seven innings, but suffered a 2-1 setback.

Hammel hasn't won since April 30 and is 3-4 with a 3.20 ERA in 10 starts this season. He is 1-0 with a 1.71 ERA in four starts on the road.