(My Sportsbook) - The Los Angeles Dodgers are slipping fast in the NL West race and will try to close out a lengthy homestand on a positive note this afternoon in the finale of a three-game set versus the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers opened the homestand with five straight wins, including a four- game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies, but have dropped three of their last four games. In Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the Rockies in the second test of this series, Russell Martin and Jeff Kent each had two hits for the Dodgers, who are two games behind Arizona for first place in the NL West. The Diamondbacks posted an 8-6 win over San Diego on Wednesday.

Starter Chad Billingsley got a no-decision after he was tagged for two runs on five hits with six strikeouts and four walks over six frames. Relief pitcher Jonathan Broxton surrendered a run in the ninth to take the loss, as the Dodgers dropped to 38-30 at Chavez Ravine this season.

Derek Lowe will try to get the Dodgers back in the win column when he takes the hill on Thursday. Lowe is 1-2 in his previous four starts and did not factor in the outcome of a 4-3 loss to Milwaukee the last time out on August 16. He pitched well enough for the win, allowing one run in seven frames, but the Dodgers couldn't produce runs.

Lowe, who is 9-10 with a 3.99 earned run average in 26 starts this season, is 1-1 in two appearances against Colorado in 2008. Lowe last faced the Rockies on June 2 and hurled eight innings of one-run ball to back an 8-2 win. He is 6-6 with a 4.94 ERA in 15 career starts in this series.

Colorado will try to close out a perfect six-game road trip today. Brad Hawpe drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning and finished 2-for-4 with a walk and three RBI for Colorado, which has won five straight to match a season- high. Troy Tulowitzki clubbed his fifth home run of the season in the win.

Jeff Francis started for the Rockies and allowed three runs -- one earned -- on nine hits over six innings for the no-decision. Taylor Buchholz, who tossed a scoreless eighth, recorded the triumph.

The Rockies are 25-40 away from Coors Field this season and will hand the ball to Jorge De La Rosa on Thursday. De La Rosa is 6-6 with a 6.16 ERA in 21 games (16 starts) this season and defeated Washington the last time out on August 15 at Nationals Park. He gave up three runs in six innings of a 4-3 win.

De La Rosa, who is 3-1 over his past four decisions, is 0-1 in five career meetings (1 start) against Los Angeles. He is 0-1 in two outings against the Dodgers this season for Colorado, which has won four of De La Rosa's five starts since the All-Star break.

The 2008 season series between the Dodgers and Rockies is tied at 7-7, while the Rockies have won six of the last seven meetings.