(Sports Network) - The Colorado Rockies believe they will still have a say in the outcome of the National League West race. The defending NL champions have a chance to make a statement with a potential series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

These two division rivals wrap up a three-game series this afternoon at Coors Field, where the Rockies have gone 10-2 so far in July and improved to 5-1 on their current seven-game homestand with Tuesday's 10-1 rout of the Dodgers.

Ian Stewart went 3-for-3 with four RBI to help back a complete-game gem from Ubaldo Jimenez as Colorado avenged a 16-10 loss to Los Angeles on Monday.

Jimenez (6-9) gave up just four hits and two walks while striking out four in going the distance for the first time in his career. The young right-hander got plenty of help from a Colorado offense that has racked up 48 runs in the first six games of this homestand.

Brad Hawpe finished 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI for the Rockies, while Jeff Baker had four hits and drove in one run on the evening.

Matt Kemp spoiled Jimenez's shutout bid when he homered to lead off the ninth inning.

Dodgers rookie Clayton Kershaw (0-3) lasted just three-plus innings and was tagged for five runs on 10 hits before exiting.

Los Angeles, which had won four of five prior to Tuesday's loss, fell to one game behind Arizona for first place in the NL West. The Diamondbacks downed Chicago by a 9-2 score last night.

Colorado currently stands in third place in the division standings and is seven games in back of the Diamondbacks.

Hiroki Kuroda makes his first career start at Coors Field for the Dodgers in today's rubber match, and the Japanese import hopes to rebound from an awful start in Arizona on Friday. Kuroda was rocked for six runs (5 earned) and eight hits in just two-plus innings against the D-Backs, although he wound up with a no-decision in a game the Dodgers rallied to win late.

The 33-year-old, signed by Los Angeles as a free agent during the offseason after a successful tenure in his native land, is 5-6 with a respectable 3.79 ERA so far during his first major league season. Kuroda hasn't been great on the road, however, as he's just 2-6 with a 4.99 ERA in 10 away starts this year.

He matched up against the Rockies in Dodger Stadium on April 25 and received a no-decision in an 8-7 Los Angeles win. In that game Kuroda surrendered five runs on nine hits in six innings of work.

Glendon Rusch puts a two-start win streak on the line for Colorado this afternoon. The well-traveled left-hander tossed 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball to defeat Pittsburgh on Friday, nine days after he limited Milwaukee to one run over a season-high six frames to lead the Rockies to an 8-3 victory at Miller Park.

Rusch started out this season with San Diego but was released by the Padres in early May after struggling through 12 relief appearances. He's fared better since joining the Rockies, having posted a 2-1 record with a 5.09 in four games (3 starts) with his current club.

The 33-year-old has had no success over his career against Los Angeles, however. In 10 outings (5 starts) versus the Dodgers, Rusch is 0-5 with a horrid 14.21 ERA and has yielded 57 hits over just 25 1/3 innings.

Los Angeles has won seven of their 11 2008 meetings with the Rockies and took two of three games from Colorado at Coors Field back in May. The Dodgers were just 2-7 as the visitor in this series last year, however.