Rockies-Dodgers Preview

4/27/2008 2:08 AM

By MIKE LIPKA
STATS Writer

It took the Los Angeles Dodgers 13 innings to finish off the Colorado Rockies on Friday. They all but settled Saturday's game in the first.

The Dodgers will take any kind of win on Sunday.

Manager Joe Torre's team will look to win three straight for the first time this year and complete their first series sweep as the NL West rivals complete their weekend set at Dodger Stadium.

The sweep would be especially rewarding against the Rockies, who won their final seven games against Los Angeles last year.

But after Russell Martin's sacrifice fly won Friday's game in the bottom of the 13th inning for Los Angeles, the Dodgers scored 10 first-inning runs - more than they'd scored in all but two games this year - off Colorado starter Mark Redman on Saturday.

Matt Kemp had five RBIs in the inning, including his first career grand slam with two outs, as Los Angeles went on to win 11-3.

"I was just looking for a pitch to drive," Kemp told his team's official Web site. "The first grand slam was pretty exciting and it helped us get some momentum."

The Dodgers (11-13) have plenty of that, having scored at least eight runs in each of their last seven wins. They had struggled to produce consistently until this week, but they've now won three of their last four games, totaling 31 runs and 47 hits over that span.

Colorado (10-14) continues to struggle, having dropped six of seven. The defending NL champs have allowed at least seven runs in each of their last five losses.

"This is the second time where we've come out of the chute with a gameplan that we didn't establish, so it needs to be addressed," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle told his team's official Web site. "We need to make sure we're accountable and responsible for things that go on here."

They'll turn to Jeff Francis on Sunday, with their opening day starter still looking for his first win after posting 17 last year.

After losing his first two starts, Francis (0-2, 5.68 ERA) seemed to have steadied himself with seven shutout innings against San Diego on April 17. He allowed four runs in seven innings to Philadelphia on Tuesday, but was still in line for a win until the Rockies' bullpen blew the lead.

"There are a lot of things I can do better - stay ahead in the count more, keep the ball down and pitch more ground-ball outs," Francis told his team's official website.

Francis went 3-0 against the Dodgers last season, allowing two or fewer runs each time. He struck out 10 in just 6 2-3 innings of a 3-1 Rockies win on Sept. 18, allowing just one run.

Dodgers starter Esteban Loaiza has not fared as well against Colorado, failing to complete four innings in his last two starts against them.

Loaiza (1-2, 4.32) was originally slated as the Dodgers' fifth starter, but he has made just one start this year, allowing four runs in four innings and taking the loss against Arizona on April 7.

He has made three appearances out of the bullpen since then, with Hong-Chih Kuo joining the rotation, but Torre said Loaiza is "best equipped as far as rest" for Sunday's start.

It's unclear if umpire Kerwin Danley, the crew chief for the series, will miss Sunday's game after being struck in the jaw with a Brad Penny pitch Saturday. Danley was hospitalized after losing consciousness

"It sounded like he got hit with a Mike Tyson uppercut," Martin said.

The teams meet again for a three-game series next weekend in Denver.