Dodgers Fall Short, Fall 1.5 Games Back

Rockies rookie Jeff Rutledge drove in three runs and had three doubles among his career-high four hits, leading Colorado to a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

Josh Roenicke (4-0) pitched three innings of scoreless relief for the victory. The right-hander took over for Alex White, who threw 80 pitches in four innings and allowed one hit and five walks before he was lifted for a pinch-hitter.

It was the fifth straight game in which a Rockies starter didn't reach the fifth. In the series opener Monday night, Drew Pomeranz threw 84 pitches over four innings and was lifted with a two-run lead before Adam Ottavino and the bullpen closed out a 2-0 victory.

The Dodgers scored in the eighth when Hanley Ramirez reached on a two-out infield single against Rex Brothers and came all the way home on James Loney's double against Matt Belisle. Rafael Betancourt, the fifth Colorado pitcher, worked a perfect ninth for his 19th save in 23 attempts.

The Dodgers are 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position in the last two games against a pitching staff that entered the series with a major league-worst 5.51 ERA - in addition to allowing the most runs, hits and homers in the majors.

Aaron Harang (7-7) was charged with three runs and six hits in six-plus innings. The right-hander escaped bases-loaded jams in the first and fifth - the latter on an inning-ending double play by rookie Jordan Pacheco.

But that came three batters after Rutledge doubled home the first run of the game. The 23-year-old shortstop, getting a chance to play because of Troy Tulowitzki's groin injury, has 18 RBIs in 22 games since his promotion from Double-A Tulsa right after the All-Star break. His total includes home runs in four consecutive games last week.

Rutledge added a two-run double in the seventh off Shawn Tolleson.

The Dodgers had a scare in the second when Ramirez fouled a ball hard enough off his left foot that manager Don Mattingly and a trainer came out to check on him. Ramirez completed his at-bat after limping back to the plate and grounded a single through the left side of the infield - hobbling all the way to first base.

Los Angeles loaded the bases with one out in the third on three walks, including a two-out intentional pass to Andre Ethier, but Ramirez flied out.

NOTES: The cap-slamming, profanity-laced rant that got Rockies manager Jim Tracy ejected by umpire Mike Everitt on Monday has become an Internet sensation - thanks mostly to Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, who did some priceless lip-reading in a blow-by-blow account of Tracy's 5-plus minute tirade while substituting all the curse words with cleaner synonyms. ''That was brought to my attention,'' said Tracy, who managed the Dodgers for five seasons and sat next to Scully on the team charter during road trips. ''My wife told me: `You might want to take a peek at that.' He did a pretty good job, didn't he? But nothing surprises me with the way Vin does his duties - nothing. He is one of the most beautiful people that I've ever had the pleasure of being around. He's so articulate and so well-spoken and such a gentleman.'' ... The Rockies had eight runners on base during Pacheco's three at-bats, but none of them scored. ... White is 0-3 with three no-decisions and a 5.96 ERA since beating the Dodgers 3-2 on June 3 at Coors Field. He also walked five batters in that game. ... Harang is 0-3 with a 5.14 ERA in four starts this season when pitching on at least six days' rest.