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Dodgers hope to continue recent offensive success

Aug 18, 2007 - 3:16 PM Colorado (62-59) at LA Dodgers (63-59) 10:10 pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - After rediscovering their offense over the last three games, the Los Angeles Dodgers will look to continue their long climb up the division ladder as they continue a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.

The Dodgers have posted six runs in each of the past three contests - all wins. The 18 runs scored over that time are three more runs than the team managed over their nine previous contests - a stretch in which they won just two of nine games.

Since occupying at least a share of the top spot in the National League West as late as July 29, Los Angeles has fallen 6 1/2 games off the pace behind division leader Arizona (70-53) in just over two weeks, due in large part to an offense that struggled mightily in August.

No Dodger pitcher has dealt with that issue more so recently than Chad Billingsley (7-4, 3.54 ERA), who will look to win for the first since July after winning his first seven decisions as a reliever and starter.

However, he is hardly to blame for his last three setbacks, allowing a total of six runs over 17 2/3 innings (3.07 ERA) - striking out 18 - but receiving only a single run of support from his offense in that time.

That lone run of support came in Monday's 4-1 loss against the Astros in which the righthander surrendered four runs and six hits over five innings to extend his losing streak to four.

Franklin Morales (NR) will make his major league debut against the Dodgers. In two stops in the minors this season, the 21-year-old lefthander is 5-4 with a 3.51 ERA.