LOS ANGELES -- Even with ace Clayton Kershaw on the mound, the Dodgers weren't able to halt their skid on Thursday night, dropping a 9-1 decision to the Rockies at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers dropped their seventh-straight game for the time since May, 2013. But the Dodgers' lead on the D-backs in the National League West is still at 10 games. For the Rockies, they stretched their lead in the Wild Card spot to three games over the Brewers and Cardinals.
Colorado righty Jon Gray stifled the Dodgers' offense, limiting it to one run on four hits in six innings. Kershaw, who made his first home start since July 23, allowed four straight hits to begin the game, including a three-run homer to Nolan Arenado, that put the Rockies ahead 3-0 during a 28-pitch first inning.

"I don't want to be all dramatic here, but you could make the argument that was our biggest win of the year," Arenado said. " It was just a big win coming into L.A. after a tough loss last night and getting in late. Jon Gray pitched a great game for us -- just a big win."
• National League standings
Kershaw lasted just 3 2/3 innings, marking the second-shortest outing of the season with the other on July 23 when he left the game against Atlanta (two innings) with a back injury.
• Kershaw struggles in short outing
A sac fly from Jonathan Lucroy padded the lead to 4-0 and the Rockies never looked back. Yasiel Puig drove in the Dodgers' only run in the fourth with a two-out RBI double.

"Even after that first inning I thought we had a chance to get to Gray," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "But he was pretty good tonight, we couldn't really stress him and get hits together. There was some balls hit hard. But really didn't threaten and the game sort of got away from us again."
• Gray's gem gives Rockies a lift
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Whoops: After the Rockies got Kershaw out of the game, they faced right-hander Brock Stewart. In the fifth, Stewart and catcher Yasmani Grandal appeared to get their signals crossed, and a pitch got away from Grandal, as Trevor Story scored from third. Grandal was charged with a passed ball, his 15th of the season. 

Goodbye!: Colorado was already in control headed into the seventh, leading 6-1, but Carlos Gonzalez launched a leadoff homer in the seventh off Dodgers righty Edward Paredes that put the Rockies ahead 7-1. It was Gonzalez's ninth homer of the season and third three-hit game of the year.
"Just believe in myself and keep pushing. You can't just put your head down because you're 0-for-2. Everybody else is hitting, so you already know you'll get four or five at-bats," Gonzalez said. "It's a really good sign when you hit a home run when you're not trying to hit a home run. Right now I'm trying to be simple.

QUOTABLE
"Our guys are upset right now. They're frustrated. Trying to figure out how to win one game where a few weeks ago it seemed like there was nothing we could do to lose a game. Right now it's sort of the polar opposite. Again, the coaches are getting after it. We're doing exactly what we've done all year long. The results just aren't there. There's no quit. We got to find a way to win a game," -- Roberts, on the Dodgers losing skid
"I think there's something to that -- when you see a couple guys ahead of you in the lineup having good at-bats. It's a momentum-builder for you up there, too, that you're seeing it, and it sort of heightens your awareness with what's happening .. I believe in contagious," --  Rockies manager Bud Black, on the offensive outburst against Kershaw
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The Rockies' four hits off Kershaw in the first inning marked only the third time in the lefty's career that he has given that many hits in the first inning of a start. The Rockies notched four hits off Kershaw on Sept. 2, 2013, and the Nationals had four hits in Kershaw's rookie season on Aug. 28, 2008.
WHAT'S NEXT
Rockies:German Marquez is slated to start game two of the series at 8:10 p.m. MT on Friday at Dodger Stadium. The right-hander leads all rookies this season with 134 strikeouts and his 10 wins trail just teammate Kyle Freeland (11) for the most by Major League rookies.
Dodgers:Yu Darvish will make his third home start on Friday at 7:10 p.m. PT against the Rockies and the Dodgers hope the righty has worked out the kinks of his new mechanics. Since his first start with the Dodgers on Aug. 4, Darvish has a 6.16 ERA.
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