Rockies stumble out of gates in LA

LOS ANGELES -- When Dexter Fowler and Troy Tulowitzki returned to the Rockies lineup, there was supposed to be a new energy, but it did not happen on Thursday night as Colorado fell, 6-1, to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

The duo, who have combined for 26 home runs and 77 RBIs this season, were supposed to inject life into an offense that hit .232 -- 35 points below their season average -- in the time they were out.

Instead, Drew Pomeranz, who struggled with command and allowed three runs on seven hits and five walks in four innings, did not receive any run support as Dodgers starter Chris Capuano shut out the Rockies for 6 1/3 innings.

"We didn't play sharp tonight, no question about it," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.

Fowler and Tulowitzki -- each activated from the 15 day disabled list on Thursday -- combined to go 0-for-8, while Carlos Gonzalez's 25th home run of the season put the Rockies on the board after they were already down six runs in the ninth inning.

With their fifth loss in seven games on the road trip, the Rockies fell to 0-21 on the road when the opponent scores first.

"Capuano made some good pitches," Tulowitzki said after going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. "You look at some of our better hitters in our lineup and they didn't have great games either."

The Dodgers began hitting Pomeranz hard in the first inning, but a ground-ball double play and a leaping catch at the left-field wall by Gonzalez helped the left-hander get through unscathed.

In the second, his defense was not quite as supportive.

After Juan Uribe singled, Jerry Hairston Jr. laced a double down the left-field line. Gonzalez and Tulowitzki made a perfect relay, but catcher Wilin Rosario could not hold onto the ball and the Dodgers took a 1-0 lead.

As Capuano retired 14 of the first 16 batters he faced and continued to carve up the Rockies lineup, things fell apart for Pomeranz in the fourth.

Pomeranz, who has an 8.76 ERA and has failed to notch a quality start in three chances, began the fourth by walking Uribe, Hairston and Tim Federowicz on just 14 pitches.

"The first thing is the walks," Pomeranz said. "They had some hits, some bleeder hits that found a hole or whatever, but if I'm not walking those guys, they don't score so I'm just hurting myself."

With the bases loaded and no outs, Pomeranz struck out Capuano, but Dodgers second baseman Mark Ellis followed with a two-run single, extending the lead to 3-0.

Although Pomeranz has struggled in all three of his starts this season, the left-hander does not feel anything is wrong with his mechanics -- rather it is simply an inability to locate.

"Just walks killing me," Pomeranz said. "Just missing in, curveball was staying up a little bit, that's about all it was."

While Pomeranz struggled with command, Capuano was able to place the ball wherever he wanted it.

"I think tonight was probably the best I've felt this season so far, just with command of the pitches and the action on them," Capuano said.

Ellis hit another two-run single as the Dodgers posted three runs in the eighth.