Sat Apr 26 03:58:43 2008

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Working extras: Dodgers beat Rockies in 13

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Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Russell Martin's sacrifice fly in the 13th inning drove in the winning run, as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies, 8-7, in the first of three straight games at Chavez Ravine.

In the 13th, Matt Kemp reached on a fielding error by shortstop Clint Barmes and advanced to third on a single by Gary Bennett. After Chan Ho Park grounded out, Taylor Buchholz issued an intentional walk to James Loney to load the bases. Martin then hit a ball deep enough to right field that allowed Kemp to cross the plate.

Hiroki Kuroda surrendered five runs on nine hits over six innings in a no- decision. Takashi Saito allowed the tying run in the ninth, while Park (1-0) tossed three scoreless innings to earn the victory.

Martin finished 4-for-4 and drove in two runs for the Dodgers, who have won two of their last three contests. Jeff Kent was 2-for-5 with two runs scored, while Juan Pierre added two RBI as the Dodgers also snapped a seven-game losing streak to Colorado.

"The only time I didn't reach base was when I drove in the winning run, which is okay," Martin said. "We've lost a couple of close games, so it was time we won one like this."

Ubaldo Jimenez was roughed up for six runs on seven hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings for Colorado. Buchholz (1-2) yielded one unearned run in 2 2/3 innings of work.

Garrett Atkins went 3-for-6 with two RBI and Scott Podsednik doubled twice for Colorado, which has dropped five of its last six games. Troy Tulowitzki and Matt Holliday each had two hits and scored twice, while Todd Helton notched a pair hits and walked three times.

The game was played in 4 hours, 38 minutes, eight nights after the Rockets beat San Diego in 22 innings in a game that lasted 6 hours, 16 minutes.

The Rockies narrowed the deficit to 7-6 on a wild pitch in the seventh and evened the score in the ninth. Saito issued a four-pitch walk to Ryan Spilborghs to begin the inning and Podsednik then stroked a double down the left field line. Third baseman Nomar Garciaparra suffered a calf injury on the play and was replaced by Martin, making his first major league appearance at the hot corner.

Then, with Tulowitzki at the plate, Saito threw a ball in the dirt that eluded new catcher Bennett and allowed Willy Taveras, who pinch ran for Spilborghs, to score the tying run. After intentionally walking Helton, Saito induced an inning-ending double play from Holliday to escape further damage.

"We battled and kept chipping away," Colorado manager Clint Hurdle said.

The Rockies had runners at the corners in the 12th, but couldn't score.

A walk to Holliday and two straight singles by Atkins and Brad Hawpe gave the Rockies a 1-0 lead in the second, but Loney's RBI double tied the score in the bottom-half.

Colorado put up a three-spot in the third to forge ahead, 4-1. Kuroda retired the first two batters, but gave up a single to Tulowitzki. After Helton drew a walk, Holliday lined a double to left that plated Tulowitzki and Atkins followed with a two-run single to center.

The advantage was short-lived, as the Dodgers exploded for five runs in the home-half. Three consecutive singles by Rafael Furcal, Andruw Jones and Garciaparra drove in a run. Two wild pitches by Jimenez allowed Jones to score and Garciaparra to move up to third.

After Kent grounded out, Jimenez's control problems continued as he nailed Loney on the foot, putting runners on the corners. Martin then ripped an RBI single through the hole on the left side that tied the score at four. A walk to Andre Ethier loaded the bases for Pierre, who laced a two-run single up the middle, chasing Jimenez from the game. Kip Wells took over on the mound and recorded the final two outs.

Podsednik recorded an RBI double in the fourth, but Ethier countered with an RBI double of his own in the bottom-half.

Game Notes

The Dodgers, who had a season-high 16 hits, sent 11 men to the plate in the third inning...Colorado falls to 1-3 in extra inning games. The Dodgers are 1-0...Jones left the game after four innings with a left calf contusion and listed as day-to-day. He was 1-for-3 with a run scored...Friday's showdown between Colorado and Los Angeles was the first of 2008. The Rockies went 12-6 in the 2007 season series...Colorado's Mark Redman (2-1) and Los Angeles' Brad Penny (3-2) are scheduled to start on Saturday...Atkins has a 10-game hitting streak.