Think Blue: Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Andre Ethier hit a two-run homer in the 13th inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 4-2 on Monday night in the opener of a suddenly significant series between NL West teams. Rockies closer Huston Street wasn't available to pitch, having saved all three victories at Oakland last weekend, so manager Jim Tracy had to scramble for the right combination out of the bullpen.

Joel Peralta, the sixth Colorado pitcher, began his third inning of work by giving up a single to Casey Blake in the 13th. The next batter was Ethier, who drove the right-hander's 39th pitch to right field on a 1-2 count for his team-high 15th homer and 14th at home. Three of those came last Friday night against Seattle.

Peralta (0-1) had made 11 straight scoreless appearances since May 25 against the Dodgers at Coors Field, when he gave up an RBI single to Russell Martin. The Rockies remained the only team in the majors without an extra-inning victory, dropping to 0-4.

James McDonald (2-1), the eighth Dodgers pitcher, struck out two in a perfect inning for the win. Los Angeles improved to 9-1 against the Rockies this season.

The Dodgers had a 14-game lead over Colorado at one point, but it had shrunk to 7 1/2 going into Monday night.

The Dodgers left the potential go-ahead run in scoring position five times in a span of six innings starting with the seventh. They couldn't cash in until Ethier came through with his fourth walk-off hit of the season and the team's ninth.

It was the 14th time the Dodgers won in their final at-bat, and they improved the best record in the majors to 49-28.

Jeff Weaver came on in the 10th for the Dodgers, and Ryan Spilborghs - who homered earlier against Randy Wolf - greeted him with a leadoff double before advancing to third on Chris Iannetta's single to left. But the right-hander struck out the next three batters, including Dexter Fowler and Clint Barmes with runners at second and third.

The Dodgers, coming off back-to-back losses to Seattle in their final interleague series, are the only team in the majors that hasn't lost three a row. The last time that happened was Aug. 29, when they dropped their eighth straight before winning the next eight.

Wolf gave up two runs and four hits over six innings, including Spilborghs' sixth homer and first since June 4. The left-hander has allowed 15 home runs in 102 1-3 innings.

Wolf tied it at 2 with a two-out, two-run single in the fifth after a balk by Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez advanced two runners.

Jimenez yielded five hits over seven innings. The right-hander lost his previous three starts against the Dodgers this season, allowing 17 earned runs, 24 hits and 10 walks in 15 innings, after going 4-0 in his first six starts against them. His lifetime ERA against Los Angeles is 6.31.

NOTES: Manny Ramirez, eligible to return from his 50-game drug suspension Friday night when the Dodgers are at San Diego, had his fifth and final dress rehearsal in the minor leagues and was 1 for 3 with two strikeouts for Class-A Inland Empire against Rancho Cucamonga. In five minor league games, he went 3 for 10 with a homer. ... Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton, pitching for the first time in six days, struck out the side on 19 pitches in the ninth. ... Wolf's no-decision was his 11th in 17 starts this season. ... Wolf is 3 for 30 at the plate with five RBIs. ... Blake turned Garrett Atkins' line drive to third base into an inning-ending double play in the fourth, diving to the bag to tag it just before Fowler could scramble back.

(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)