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Dodgers-Rockies Preview

May 25, 2009 - 2:19 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (30-14) at Colorado (17-25), 3:10 p.m. EDT

The Los Angeles Dodgers enjoy playing within their division more than most teams.

The Dodgers look to add to their 20 wins over NL West opponents when they open a three-game road series Monday against the Colorado Rockies.

Los Angeles (30-15) is 20-8 against the West for the most division wins in baseball, including 5-1 versus last-place Colorado (18-25). No other team in the West is above .500 in division play.

The Dodgers have hit .336 against the Rockies this season, with James Loney going 9 for 22 (.409) with five runs and four RBIs while Andre Ethier has gone 10 for 26 (.385) with 11 RBIs.

Ethier was out of the lineup for Sunday's 10-7 loss to the Angels after hurting his big toe on his right foot the previous night, but he struck out as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and may be back starting Monday.

The Dodgers are beginning a seven-game road trip after losing two of three at home to the Angels. They blew an early 4-0 lead in Sunday's loss.

Casey Blake had three hits to continue his hot stretch. Blake is 19 for 40 (.475) with four homers and 11 RBIs in his last 11 games.

The Rockies, meanwhile, salvaged a split of a 10-game road trip by winning two straight at Detroit over the weekend. Todd Helton drove in two runs in a 3-1 victory Sunday.

"We're looking for traction right now, and this is the type of win that can help," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "We've had some tough sledding lately, but we've got an alpha dog doing the pulling in Todd Helton."

Helton is 8 for 18 with nine RBIs over his last nine games. The veteran first baseman, however, has just four hits in 17 at-bats this year against the Dodgers.

He has two hits in seven career at-bats versus Eric Stults (4-1, 3.82 ERA), who returns to the rotation for Los Angeles as he looks to win a third straight decision. He was scratched Wednesday with a sprained left thumb, forcing him to use a brace.

"It was the doctor's idea to brace it because it might heal faster by not using it at all," Stults told the Dodgers' official Web site.

The left-hander is 2-0 with a 2.29 ERA in his last three outings. He missed a chance to win his third start in a row May 15 by allowing three runs over five innings in a 6-4 win at Florida.

Stults is 1-0 with a 4.05 ERA in seven career appearances against the Rockies, including three starts.

Colorado's Jorge De La Rosa (0-4, 4.27) makes his ninth start of the year seeking his first win since Sept. 25. His last outing was his worst as he allowed a season-high seven runs over a season-low 3 2-3 innings Wednesday in a 12-4 loss at Atlanta.

"I was wild," said De La Rosa, who issued five walks. "It was one of those games when I had control problems. I had nothing."

De La Rosa has nothing positive to show for his career versus the Dodgers, going 0-4 with a 6.49 ERA in eight appearances, including four starts. He pitched well against them April 17, yielding five hits over 5 1-3 scoreless innings in a 4-3 loss.

The left-hander has had trouble against Loney and Matt Kemp, who have combined to go 10 for 20 against him with two homers and nine RBIs - seven by Loney.