CarGo hits 3-run HR in 9th, Rockies top Dodgers to stop skid

LOS ANGELES (AP) The Colorado Rockies ended their 11-game losing streak in dramatic fashion, thanks to a guy they've always relied on to come through in clutch situations.

Carlos Gonzalez hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning, and Colorado sloshed its way to a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night following a rare rain delay at Chavez Ravine.

''I really can't put it into words how hard and difficult it's been for the club and for myself,'' Gonzalez said. ''It's one of those stretches that you really want to get over with, and it finally happened tonight. It took longer than what we expected, with all the rain, but we kept grinding. That shows a lot of respect. Everybody pushed all the way until the end.''

The Rockies were rained out three times during their most recent homestand, including a game with the Dodgers last Saturday that was rescheduled for June 2 at Coors Field.

''That cloud has been following us everywhere we go,'' Gonzalez said with a laugh. ''We've had to battle against other teams and weather conditions and rain delays, so it's hard to keep your body in the game. To stay in the clubhouse for an hour and a half, I'm sure it affects the other team, too. You just try to keep your body and your mind in the game.''

Wilin Rosario also went deep for the last-place Rockies in the opener of a four-game series between the top and bottom teams in the NL West.

Play was halted for 85 minutes during the sixth inning at a ballpark that hasn't had a weather postponement in 15 years.

Dodgers rookie Yimi Garcia (2-1), who has been filling in as closer with Kenley Jansen on the disabled list, gave up a leadoff single to Nick Hundley in the ninth and a one-out single by Drew Stubbs.

Charlie Blackmon was called out on strikes before Gonzalez drove a 2-1 pitch halfway up the right-field pavilion for his third homer of the season.

''I was watching Garcia warming up and he was throwing a lot of fastballs, so I was ready to swing at a good fastball,'' Gonzalez said. ''I just wanted to be patient and tried to see a good pitch to drive, and I was able to take advantage.''

It was Garcia's third blown save in four chances.

''We kind of felt like it was Yimi's inning,'' Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. ''We were kind of out of righties, for the most part. We're kind of at that spot where we felt like Yimi was our guy. He's had two outings that didn't go his way, but he's a young guy. So we'll make sure that we talk with Yimi, trust in his ability, make sure he understands how good he is and looks at it realistically.''

Rafael Betancourt (1-1) pitched a perfect eighth and John Axford worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his fourth save.

Brett Anderson tossed 5 1-3 solid innings for Los Angeles, allowing two runs with eight strikeouts on a chilly night at Dodger Stadium. The game-time temperature was 59 degrees and the teams played through showers, thunder and lightning.

Adrian Gonzalez gave Los Angeles the lead in the first with a two-run double that put him within two RBIs of 1,000. Anderson had a run-scoring double in the second for his second career RBI.

The Dodgers were ahead 4-1 when play was stopped in the sixth. The game resumed at 10:23 p.m., and Rosario hit a routine grounder that four-time Gold Glove shortstop Jimmy Rollins booted on the freshly manicured infield for an error that allowed Carlos Gonzalez to score.

Chad Bettis threw 106 pitches over five innings for the Rockies after getting recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque.

For the second straight night, Rockies bench coach Tom Runnells ran the team following manager Walt Weiss' emergency appendectomy Wednesday while the club was playing in Anaheim against the Angels.

Weiss was released from the hospital Thursday and returned to the team hotel in Los Angeles with head athletic trainer Keith Dugger.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rockies: Rookie reliever Brooks Brown was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 4, with inflammation in his shoulder.

Dodgers: RHP Pedro Baez was placed on the 15-day DL because of a strained pectoral muscle and was replaced on the roster by LHP Daniel Coulombe, who was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

RAINY DAZE

The last weather postponement at Chavez Ravine was on April 17, 2000, when the Houston Astros were in town. There have been 17 rainouts since the ballpark opened in 1962.

UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP Eddie Butler (2-3) will make his seventh start of the season and third against the Dodgers. He allowed two runs against them in each of the first two outings.

Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (1-2) makes his fifth attempt at his 100th regular-season win against the team he no-hit last June.