LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Colorado Rockies blew a five-run lead and a golden opportunity to keep pace in the National League West race by losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-6 in 11 innings Sunday.
A.J. Ellis delivered a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 11th to spoil the day for the Rockies, who fell 1.5 games out of first-place.
Colorado closer Huston Street allowed the game-tying hit to Matt Kemp in the ninth after the visitors had earlier led 6-1.
"It's a frustrating loss because we were three outs away," Street told reporters. "All of us are kind of feeling it, but we go into an off day and we can forget about it."
Dodgers outfielder Kemp finished 3-for-5 with a solo homer in the seventh to continue the Los Angeles rally that began with three runs in the fourth.
The red-hot Rockies (82-67) had won 20 of their last 26 to storm into playoff contention, but could not complete a three-game sweep over the Dodgers (73-77).
San Francisco (84-66), who defeated Milwaukee 9-2, leads the NL West with San Diego a half-game back.
The Rockies looked to make a move toward both teams when they took a 3-0 advantage over the Dodgers on a bases-clearing double from Jason Giambi in the first.
NL batting leader Carlos Gonzalez had an RBI single in the second where Colorado posted three more runs against starter Clayton Kershaw, who allowed six runs in four innings.
Los Angeles used five relievers to keep the Rockies scoreless for the rest of the game.
Colorado's streaking slugger Troy Tulowitzki was hitless in four at-bats with three strikeouts to cool his sensational power surge.
One day earlier, Tulowitzki became just the third player since 1900 to swat 14 homers in a 15-game stretch, joining Albert Belle in 1995 and Barry Bonds in 2001.
(Editing by Steve Ginsburg)
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