(Sports Network) - Ted Lilly will try to stay unbeaten in Dodger blue this afternoon, as he takes the hill in the finale of a three-game series against the NL West-rival Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
Lilly has won all five starts with Los Angeles since coming over from the Chicago Cubs and has pitched to a 1.83 earned run average in 34 1/3 innings. He defeated Milwaukee on the road on Tuesday with 6 1/3 subpar innings of three-run ball and only two strikeouts. He had 11 in his previous start versus Colorado on August 19, when he threw a two-hit shutout in a 2-0 win.
The left-hander is 4-1 in six career starts against the Rockies, and 8-8 overall this season with the Cubs and Dodgers.
Los Angeles had a four-game winning streak stopped in Saturday's 5-3 defeat in which starter Chad Billingsley was dealt the loss for allowing three runs on five hits and five walks in six innings.
"I had a good fastball, but my off-speed wasn't there," Billingsley said. "You have days like that."
Rod Barajas hit a two-run homer and Casey Blake knocked in a run for Los Angeles, which used Manny Ramirez in a pinch-hitting role during the seventh inning. Ramirez struck out to end the inning, and was awarded to the Chicago White Sox in a waiver claim on Friday. He has until Tuesday to decide whether he'll approve a trade to the Pale Hose or remain with Los Angeles.
LA is 5 1/2 games off the National League Wild Card lead.
Meanwhile, the Rockies sit 4 1/2 games behind the final postseason spot in the NL and won for the fifth time in six tries last night.
MVP candidate Carlos Gonzalez cracked a two-run homer and Todd Helton belted a solo shot for Colorado, which got seven innings of one-run ball and seven strikeouts from winning pitcher Jhoulys Chacin.
"He's really beginning to arrive," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said of Chacin. "He is definitely a huge bright spot for our club with what's taken place this season."
Tracy will hand the ball to Jason Hammel today and he's only 1-4 with a 4.82 earned run average in his last eight starts. Hammel has posted back-to-back no-decisions and previously toed the rubber on Monday in a 5-4 win over Atlanta. He gave up three runs and nine hits in 6 1/3 frames that day.
The right-hander recently tossed six innings of two-run ball in a no-decision at Los Angeles on August 18, and is 0-1 with a 2.42 earned run average in six career matchups (3 starts) with the Dodgers. Hammel is 8-7 overall in 23 starts this season and 6-1 in 12 trips to the Coors Field mound.
Los Angeles has won seven of 11 meetings with Colorado this season and 21 of the last 29 contests in this series.