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Dodgers, Rockies aim to stay in playoff race

Sep 18, 2007 - 1:33 PM LA Dodgers (79-70) at Colorado (77-72) 3:05 pm EDT Game One

DENVER (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers look to remain in the crowded National League playoff picture when they take on the Colorado Rockies in the opener of a doubleheader Tuesday afternoon.

The Dodgers are four games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks (84-67) in the NL West Division and three back of the San Diego Padres (82-67) in the wild card standings.

Six teams are within 5 1/2 games of each other in the NL wild card race - including the Rockies, who trail by five.

Los Angeles has won four of its last five contests, including two of three against first-place Arizona this weekend.

Colorado, on the other hand, has lost three of its last four - including two of three to the last-place Florida Marlins.

On Tuesday, the Dodgers will start Chad Billingsley (11-4, 3.14 ERA), who has pitched well this month. The righthander is 2-0, allowing three runs and 14 hits in 19 innings over his last three outings.

But Billingsley is 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA in five games - three starts - in his career vs. Colorado.

The Rockies counter with Jeff Francis (15-8, 4.35), who had one of his worst outings of the campaign his last time out. The lefthander yielded eight runs and eight hits in 3 1/3 frames while walking four in a 12-4 loss last Thursday.