The Colorado Rockies (13-20) picked up their eighth loss in nine games yesterday, falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers (23-11) 11-5. The Rockies led 4-2, before giving up six runs in the fifth inning. Colorado opens a two-game series against the Giants tonight in San Francisco (TV: Root Sports).

It seemed the Rockies, 1-5 on their first National League West road trip, were following the right road map early Sunday. They took a 4-2 lead into the fifth inning and starter Alex White — not dominating, but using a sinker for ground balls when he needed them — had nine ground-ball outs with one out and one on in the fifth.

Then White (0-2) walked Tony Gwynn and Mark Ellis and seemed rattled before facing veteran Bobby Abreu, who had replaced Matt Kemp (aggravated left hamstring) after the third. Abreu knocked White out of the game with a three-run double to put the NL West-leading Dodgers ahead and on their way to improving their record to a Major Leagues-best 23-11.

Reliever Matt Reynolds issued another walk before A.J. Ellis knocked a three-run homer. Rockies pitchers issued nine of their 10 total walks from the fifth inning to game’s end. Josh Roenicke gave up a run and walked two in the seventh and Esmil Rogers, who is about to pitch himself to Triple-A Colorado Springs, walked three in the Dodgers’ two-run eighth.

“Embarrassing … there’s not a whole lot else to say,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. “You walk nine guys from the fifth inning on, I don’t care where you’re playing, you’re gonna lose. There’s no way of saying it nicely. That’s awful.”

All this happened on a day when the Rockies scored five runs, four earned, in 6 1/3 innings against their tormentor, left-hander Ted Lilly (5-0). But because of the latest in a run of disjointed performances, where hitting and pitching are rarely good at the same time, Lilly improved his career record against the Rockies to 10-2.

Tickets are available for the Rockies next home game at Coors Field this Wednesday, May 16th vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks, and can be purchased by calling (800) 388-ROCK, or click here.

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