Wed Aug 20 02:01:03 2008

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Stewart, Hawpe power Rockies past Dodgers

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Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Ian Stewart hit a three-run homer and finished with a career-high five RBI while Brad Hawpe continued his recent strong offensive play with a two-run homer, as the Colorado Rockies defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, 8-3, in the opener of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium.

Hawpe, who finished 1-for-3 with three runs scored, is batting .478 with four home runs and nine RBI during his current six-game hit streak for the Rockies, who have won four straight games. Matt Holliday was 4-for-5 with a solo home run in the win.

Ubaldo Jimenez (9-11) earned the win after he tossed five innings and allowed three runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts.

Jeff Kent finished 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI for Los Angeles, which has dropped two of three following a five-game win streak and fell one game back of the NL West-leading Arizona Diamondbacks. Matt Kemp registered an RBI and a run scored in the loss.

Hiroki Kuroda (7-9), who started and yielded four runs on six hits over six innings, suffered the loss.

Earlier Tuesday, the Dodgers acquired future Hall-of-Fame pitcher Greg Maddux from the San Diego Padres for two minor leaguers to be named later or cash considerations. Maddux pitched for the Dodgers in a portion of the 2006 season and will in essence replace Brad Penny in the starting rotation. Penny was placed on the disabled list on August 14 with right shoulder inflammation.

After the Rockies grabbed an early lead on a two-run single by Stewart in the top of the first, the Dodgers cut their deficit in half in the bottom of the frame on a pair of doubles by Kemp and Kent.

In the top of the third, Hawpe crushed a low fastball over the wall in center field. Holliday, who reached on a one-out single, also scored on Hawpe's 22nd home run of the season for a 4-1 Colorado lead.

A two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth inning brought the Dodgers within 4-3. Nomar Garciaparra's single preceded a double by Casey Blake and with runners on second and third and two outs, a passed ball allowed Garciaparra to cross the plate. Kemp's second double of the game followed and Blake scored, but Andre Ethier fanned to end the frame.

Blake doubled with two outs in the sixth, but Luis Vizcaino induced a groundout off the bat of pinch-hitter Mark Sweeney.

Manny Corpas escaped a big jam in the seventh. Kent and Manny Ramirez both hit two-out singles and Corpas issued a walk to James Loney, but Russell Martin flied out to deep right field.

The Rockies put the game out of reach with a four-run eighth inning. Holliday led off the frame with his 24th homer of the year, a blast which brought Hong- Chih Kuo to the mound from the LA bullpen. Consecutive walks to Hawpe and Garrett Atkins preceded a three-run blast by Stewart, who belted a low fastball over the right-field wall.

Game Notes

The scheduled pitching matchup for Wednesday's game is Colorado left-hander Jeff Francis versus Chad Billingsley...The Rockies have won 10 of their last 14 on the road...Jimenez is now 4-0 lifetime against LA...With his double in the game, Kent moved into a tie with Eddie Murray for 20th place on the all-time doubles list with 560...Attendance was 46,687.