Major League Baseball

Dodgers fend off Rockies to extend NL West lead

Published Aug. 27, 2009 5:35 a.m. ET

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No late-night magic this time for the Colorado Rockies. Left-hander Randy Wolf and the Los Angeles Dodgers' big bats made sure of that.

Andre Ethier hit two of L.A.'s three home runs, powering the descending Dodgers past the Rockies 6-1 Wednesday night to restore their teetering lead in the NL West to three games over Colorado.

The Rockies, who had won eight of 10, were trying to move within a game of Dodgers, a team they trailed by 15 1/2 games on June 3.

"It gives us a chance going into tomorrow to distance ourselves a game and give us a little bit a room," Ethier said.

Now, the Dodgers will leave Denver with either a two- or four-game lead on the Rockies.


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"I'm not really concerned about them," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "I have a great deal of respect for them, but it's all about how we play. If we're in the last week of the season, last 10 days of the season, yes, you worry about that team. But right now we've got to get into a mode of playing more consistently and winning more games.

"That's my concern more so than who's running us down."

Torre wouldn't say who he'll send to the mound Thursday afternoon. Left-hander Jorge de la Rosa (12-8) goes for the Rockies.

Colorado had posted four straight come-from-behind wins, including a 5-4 victory in 10 innings over the Dodgers in the series opener. The Rockies, though, couldn't muster another comeback against Wolf (9-6), who scattered five hits over 7 1-3 spectacular innings. He walked two and struck out five.

Ethier hit his 26th and 27th home runs off spot starter Josh Fogg (0-2), who allowed six runs, all of them on the long ball, and four hits and four walks in three-plus innings.

"He got a little wild there for a little bit," said James Loney, who added a three-run homer off Fogg. "We didn't get that many hits off of him - we just got some big ones."

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