Sun May 4 00:47:08 2008

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Loney's six-RBI effort carries red-hot Dodgers over Rockies

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Denver, CO (Sports Network) - James Loney hit a three-run homer, doubled and drove in six runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers picked up their eighth win in a row with a 12-7 thrashing of the Colorado Rockies in the second of a three- game set at Coors Field.

Russell Martin and Jeff Kent each knocked in two runs for the Dodgers, who have improved to 17-13 overall during their current hot streak. The top three hitters in the Los Angeles lineup; Rafael Furcal, Juan Pierre and Matt Kemp combined for seven hits and seven runs scored.

Hong-Chih Kuo (1-1) earned the win with 3 2/3 innings of one-run, three-hit, five-strikeout ball in relief of Esteban Loaiza, who allowed five runs on five hits in 2 1/3 innings.

"I think he's just starting to learn how good he is," Martin said of Kuo. "Sometimes you have to battle through adversity, and he's got a good attitude, and he goes out there and just keeps grinding."

Brad Hawpe went 3-for-5 with a home run and four runs batted in for the Rockies, who have lost nine of 11. Matt Holliday added a solo homer for Colorado, while Garrett Atkins doubled and scored two runs.

"We're a quality team, and we've got a lot of good players," Hawpe said. "So to go out there and lose is upsetting, but, you know, as far as hitting and pitching, as a team, you don't point fingers, we're just not winning."

Jorge De La Rosa (0-1) was shelled in his first start since being acquired from Kansas City on Wednesday. De La Rosa allowed nine runs on nine hits in four-plus innings, while Jason Grilli was tagged for two runs in an inning- plus of relief.

The Dodgers loaded the bases in the first with three straight singles, and with one out, Martin walked to force in Furcal. Loney then ripped a line drive to the wall in left-center for a bases-clearing double that gave the Dodgers a 4-0 lead before Colorado had a chance to bat.

Los Angeles again loaded the bases with nobody out in the second, and picked up a run when Kemp lofted a sacrifice fly to center. With Kent at the plate, Furcal and Pierre executed a double steal, then Furcal put the Dodgers up 6-0 when he was plated on Kent's groundout to short.

An RBI single by Hawpe, a run-scoring double by Jeff Baker and a sacrifice fly by De La Rosa pulled back three runs for the Rockies against Loaiza in the second.

The Rockies continued the rally in the third, as Holliday led off with a homer to left center. One out later, Atkins doubled to left, chasing Loaiza in favor of Kuo, but Hawpe greeted Kuo with a game-tying two-run blast to right.

De La Rosa kept the Dodgers off the board until the fifth, when he allowed an infield single to Kent and walked Martin. Loney then unloaded on a 2-2 change- up and sent it over the wall in right to put Los Angeles back in front by three.

The Dodgers loaded the bases against Grilli in the sixth, and with Ryan Speier on in relief, Kent drove in Furcal with a sacrifice fly and Kemp scored on a wild pitch. Hawpe plated Holliday with a single in the seventh, but Martin padded the lead back to five with an RBI hit in the eighth.

Game Notes

Before the game, the Rockies placed shortstop Troy Tulowitzki on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 30 with a torn left quadriceps tendon. De La Rosa was selected to the 25-man roster to take his place...The Dodgers have outscored the Rockies 23-13 over the first two games of the series...Derek Lowe (2-1) gets the ball for Los Angeles in the final game of the series on Sunday, opposed by steady Rockies righty Aaron Cook (4-1).