Los Angeles, CA (My Sportsbook) - With their playoff chances getting smaller by the day, the Los Angeles Dodgers will try to get on the winning track when they play the finale of a two-game series against the Colorado Rockies tonight at Dodger Stadium.

In Tuesday's opener, Denny Stark threw seven scoreless innings of one-hit ball and Todd Zeile drove in the game's only run, as the Rockies edged the Dodgers, 1-0. The Rockies have won four straight, while Los Angeles lost for the second time in five games.

More importantly, the loss dropped the Dodgers three games behind the Giants in the race for the National League wild card berth. The loss by Los Angeles also clinched a playoff berth for the defending World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks.

Stark (11-3), who allowed only a first-inning single to Brian Jordan, struck out one and walked three. The rookie righthander has won his last four decisions.

Todd Jones threw a scoreless eighth and Jose Jimenez pitched the ninth for his 41st save.

Odalis Perez was the hard-luck loser. Perez (15-10) threw eight innings of one-run ball. The lefthander allowed five hits with eight strikeouts and no walks.

The Dodgers hope Giovanni Carrara can be the team's savior in his first start of the season. The righthander has not allowed a run in his last three appearances, a span of 7 1/3 innings. He last pitched on Friday and allowed one unearned run on three hits over three innings in an 8-4 loss at San Diego. LA is 1-6 in his last seven appearances.

Carrara is 0-0 with a 5.68 ERA in six games against the Rockies this season. On September 14, he yielded two hits in a scoreless inning in LA's 16-3 win at Colorado.

Lifetime, Carrara has no record and a 6.00 ERA versus the Rockies. In 28 outings at home this year, he is 3-1 with a 2.59 ERA.

Jason Jennings counters for the Rockies. The 24-year-old righthander has gone 0-2 in his last three starts, allowing 13 runs over 17 innings in that stretch. On Thursday, he yielded four earned runs on 10 hits over five innings in a 12-6 loss to St. Louis. He is just 1-3 in his last five starts.

Jennings is 2-1 with a 4.97 ERA in four starts against LA this season. On September 13, he surrendered four runs on seven hits during 6 2/3 innings in a 5-4 loss to the Dodgers.

For his career, he has gone 3-1 with a 4.60 ERA against Los Angeles. On the road, he is 7-4 with a 3.48 ERA in 14 starts.

The Dodgers own an 11-7 lead in the season series and are 6-2 at home versus the Rockies in 2002.