| SEASON | CAREER |
| W5 | 11 |
| L5 | 16 |
| G18 | 45 |
| IP60.2 | 202.0 |
| BB31 | 102 |
| SO37 | 111 |
| SEASON | CAREER |
| W9 | 82 |
| L13 | 75 |
| G30 | 236 |
| IP185.0 | 1428.0 |
| BB34 | 378 |
| SO160 | 972 |
The Los Angeles Dodgers are finally showing signs of life offensively.
It might be too late, however, to save their season.
With their playoffs hopes fading, the suddenly red-hot Dodgers look to win four straight games for the first time in six weeks Saturday night against the Colorado Rockies .
After plating three runs or fewer in 14 of 18 games, Los Angeles (82-75) has scored eight in each of its last three. Shane Victorino had a three-run homer in Friday's 8-0 win over the Rockies, as the team clinched a winning season for the second straight year under manager Don Mattingly .
Clinching a playoff berth, however, is obviously a more coveted achievement, but one looking more and more unlikely.
Despite the victory, the Dodgers remained three games behind St. Louis - a 12-2 winner over Washington on Friday - for the second NL wild card with five to play.
"It's win or go home," Victorino said. "Our mentality is that way. We're going to keep battling. We're going to have fun, we're going to finish strong and plan to finish with all 'W's.'"
Even if they win their final five games, the Dodgers would still miss the playoffs if the Cardinals were to win three more times.
"We got to keep pressure on St. Louis," Mattingly said. "We got to force them to win every day."Los Angeles, which hasn't won four in a row since Aug. 12-15, could make things interesting, however, if its offense continues to pile up runs.
Matt Kemp is 6 for 13 with five RBIs in the last three games, while Adrian Gonzalez is 5 for 13 with three runs driven in.
Andre Ethier had three hits Friday and could be poised for another big game - he is 4 for 7 with two doubles lifetime against scheduled starter Tyler Chatwood (5-5, 5.49 ERA).
Chatwood gave up two runs and three hits in 5 2-3 innings in Monday's 4-2 victory over Arizona, his first win since beating Los Angeles on Aug. 28. The right-hander again showed better control, walking two, bringing his total over the last three games to four. He issued 12 base on balls in his previous three starts.
"I've been building off my last two outings," he said. "The results weren't there but I felt good about them. Just building off that and kept it going."In his lone start this season against the Dodgers 4 1/2 weeks ago, Chatwood allowed two runs, five hits and three walks in five innings.
Colorado (62-95) had little luck in the opener against reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw , who allowed five hits over eight innings. Rookie Jordan Pacheco went 0 for 4 after batting .356 with seven RBIs during an 11-game hitting streak.
The Rockies, whose four-game winning streak was snapped, could have better luck against Joe Blanton (9-13, 4.86)
Since being acquired at the non-waiver trade deadline, Blanton hasn't done much to help the Dodgers' postseason push, going 1-4 with a 5.57 ERA in nine starts. His lone win, however, came in Colorado on Aug. 29, when he gave up three runs and 10 hits in 7 1-3 innings of a 10-8 final.
The righty put together a decent outing last Friday in Cincinnati, permitting a run and four hits over 5 2-3 innings in a 3-1, 10-inning win.
@
@
AVG
HRRUNSSBSOBBOBPSLGOPSERAQSSOBBSVBSBAAWHIPE
VS.
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| Jhoulys Chacin | 2 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Tyler Colvin | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Michael Cuddyer | 18 | .222 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | .250 | .639 | .389 |
| Dexter Fowler | 3 | .333 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .333 | 1.666 | 1.333 |
| Jason Giambi | 8 | .375 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | .545 | .920 | .375 |
| Carlos Gonzalez | 5 | .800 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .833 | 2.233 | 1.400 |
| Todd Helton | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Ramon Hernandez | 11 | .364 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | .364 | .819 | .455 |
| Jonathan Herrera | 2 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .000 |
| Marco Scutaro | 5 | .400 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 1.100 | .600 |
| Troy Tulowitzki | 2 | 1.000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2.000 | 1.000 |
| Eric Young | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
VS.
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| Mark Ellis | 4 | .500 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | .500 | 1.250 | .750 |
| A.J. Ellis | 4 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .200 | .200 | .000 |
| Andre Ethier | 5 | .400 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .429 | 1.029 | .600 |
| Dee Gordon | 6 | .167 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .167 | .334 | .167 |
| Tony Gwynn Jr. | 4 | .750 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .800 | 1.800 | 1.000 |
| Matt Kemp | 4 | .250 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .200 | .450 | .250 |
| Adam Kennedy | 2 | .500 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .667 | 1.667 | 1.000 |
| James Loney | 6 | .167 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .167 | .334 | .167 |
| Matt Treanor | 4 | .250 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .750 | .500 |
 Colorado Rockies |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| September 10, 2012 | Ramon Hernandez | Day-to-Day | Left game - Left hamstring strain |
| August 22, 2012 | Dexter Fowler | Day-to-Day | Left game - right ankle injury |
| August 20, 2012 | Eric Young | 15-Day DL | Left intercostal strain |
| August 19, 2012 | Michael Cuddyer | 15-Day DL | Right oblique strain |
| August 19, 2012 | Josh Rutledge | Day-to-Day | Left game - left quad tightness |
| August 14, 2012 | Drew Pomeranz | Day-to-Day | Chest soreness |
 Los Angeles Dodgers |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| September 15, 2012 | Clayton Kershaw | Day-to-Day | Torn labrum, right hip |
| September 09, 2012 | Clayton Kershaw | Day-to-Day | Sore hip |
| September 08, 2012 | Adam Kennedy | 60-Day DL | Strained right groin |
| September 08, 2012 | Matt Kemp | Day-to-Day | Left shoulder strain |
| September 08, 2012 | Adam Kennedy | Day-to-Day | Strained right groin |
| September 03, 2012 | Javy Guerra | 15-Day DL | Left oblique strain |
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers ' faint playoff hopes are still flickering, and Matt Kemp does not want to see them extinguished if he can help it.
Kemp homered twice, Joe Blanton pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning, and the desperate Dodgers climbed within two games of the second NL wild-card spot with a 3-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night.
Los Angeles' fourth straight victory, coupled with St. Louis' 10-inning loss to Washington, gave the Dodgers a much-needed boost with four games left. After this weekend, they finish up with a three-game series against NL West champion San Francisco. The defending World Series champion Cardinals close out the regular season with a three-game set at home against Central champion Cincinnati.
"Right now we have to find a way to sneak into those playoffs," Kemp said. "We're both going to be playing good teams next week, so it's going to come down to the end. We've just got to keep going out there and playing hard and see where we end up."
The loss was the Rockies' 96th, breaking the franchise record set in their inaugural 1993 season and equaled in 2005. Blanton (10-13) scattered seven hits over six-plus innings, struck out six and walked none. The Rockies got only one runner as far as third base against the right-hander, who has only two victories in 10 starts with the Dodgers since he was acquired from Philadelphia on Aug. 3 - including a 10-8 win over the Rockies on Aug. 29 at Coors Field.
"You hope when you're traded, you're put in a position to pitch in the playoffs or do all you can to get in the playoffs," Blanton said. "You just hope you get those opportunities. You never know in this game what's going to happen. Last year was a prime example of that. So as long as there's games left and you're still in it, anything could happen. That's the way you've got to treat it and try to win every game."
Ronald Belisario and Kenley Jansen each pitched a perfect inning and Brandon League did likewise in the ninth for his 15th save in 21 chances with the Dodgers and Seattle Mariners . He has converted all six opportunities with Los Angeles.
Tyler Chatwood (5-6) threw 74 pitches over four innings, allowing two runs and five hits. The 22-year-old right-hander, who began his big league career down the freeway with the Angels last season, was 4-5 with a 4.88 ERA in his 12 starts with the Rockies this season, including an 8-4 home win over the Dodgers on Aug. 28.
Kemp led off the fourth with a drive into the left field pavilion that traveled an estimated 461 feet. Hanley Ramirez singled one out later, stole second and scored on a two-out single by A.J. Ellis - his fifth consecutive game with at least one RBI after going 15 games and 44 at-bats without one.
Kemp added his 22nd homer in the eighth, an opposite-field drive to right against Josh Roenicke . It was his fifth career multihomer game and second this season, the other coming on April 14 against San Diego at Dodger Stadium.
"I'm just seeing the ball and hitting the ball, putting some good wood on mistake pitches and driving the ball. That's what I'm used to doing and what I'm capable of doing," Kemp said. "As long as I can get strikes to hit, I can be a pretty good hitter. It felt good to hit balls that hard. Hopefully I can do it the next four days."
Kemp is batting .229 with five homers and 13 RBIs in 23 games since hurting his left shoulder crashing into the center field fence at Coors Field in consecutive games last month while trying to catch triples by Josh Rutledge and Tyler Colvin .
"I feel like any other player would feel in the month of September," Kemp said. "Everybody's banged up at this time of the year, so you can't make excuses."
Colorado manager Jim Tracy , using a patchwork lineup because of injuries to Colvin, Todd Helton , Troy Tulowitzki , Carlos Gonzalez , Jason Giambi , Dexter Fowler , Michael Cuddyer and Eric Young Jr., had little to choose from on the bench to pinch-hit for Chatwood in the fifth with runners at the corners, two out and the Rockies trailing 2-0. So Chatwood batted for himself and grounded into a fielder's choice before Josh Outman replaced him on the mound in the bottom half.
"That's where we're at right now," first baseman Jordan Pacheco said. "We're not really in a position to do anything, so we're not going to hurt anybody anymore. It stinks when you're in that position with a chance to do something, and we haven't had many situations like that - especially in this series. So all you can do is roll with the punches."
NOTES: LHP Clayton Kershaw , the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, has a league-best 2.58 ERA with one start remaining. If he stays on top, he would become the first Dodgers pitcher with back-to-back ERA titles since Sandy Koufax 's career-ending five-year run from 1962-66. ... The Rockies have lost eight straight on the road and 13 of their last 14 away from Coors Field. ... Blanton was 1-4 with a 5.46 ERA in his previous 10 home starts with the Dodgers and Phillies. ... Dodgers RHP Josh Beckett , who beat the Rockies in Game 1 of the 2007 World Series while pitching for Boston, starts Sunday's series finale against LHP Jorge De La Rosa.
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Colorado Rockies