(Sports Network) - The Colorado Rockies aim to build off a breakthrough win over the Los Angeles Dodgers when the two National League West inhabitants play the finale of a three-game series this afternoon at Dodger Stadium.

The Rockies had lost nine of 10 meetings with Los Angeles this season before taking Tuesday's test behind a brilliant performance by Jason Marquis. The Colorado hurler fired a two-hit shutout to become the NL's first 10-game winner in 2009 and lead his team to a 3-0 victory.

Marquis (10-3) yielded just singles to James Loney and Juan Castro and did not walk a batter in recording the third shutout of his 10-year career. The right- hander needed just 86 pitches to go the distance and helped his cause at the plate with a key two-run single in the seventh inning.

"That was something special," said Rockies manager Jim Tracy. "Marquis pounded the strike zone with his fastball and had command with everything he threw. (Taking into account as well) the huge hit he produced to get us from a one- run lead to a three-run lead, I don't know what more you could've asked him to do."

Brad Hawpe added a solo home run to help Colorado avenge a 13-inning loss to the Dodgers in Monday's opener.

Los Angeles got a terrific outing from its starting pitcher as well, as Chad Billingsley (9-4) racked up 11 strikeouts over the first seven innings but was reached for three runs on just five hits.

"Billingsley pitched well enough to win if he wasn't pitching against Marquis," Dodgers manager Joe Torre remarked.

Tuesday's triumph capped a sensational June for the Rockies. Colorado amassed a 21-7 record during the month and has moved within 7 1/2 games of the first- place Dodgers in the NL West race. The team stands just 1 1/2 games back of San Francisco for the top spot in the NL Wild Card standings.

Los Angeles, which has dropped five of its last seven, will play its final game without the services of star slugger Manny Ramirez tonight. The All-Star outfielder is eligible to return from a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's performance enhancing drugs policy when the Dodgers visit San Diego on Friday.

In the meantime, the Dodgers turn to Clayton Kershaw in hopes of winning today's rubber match. The talented young hurler has been exceptional at Dodger Stadium this year, having posted a 2.06 earned run average in eight home starts despite only a 2-2 record over that stretch.

Kershaw comes in having won back-to-back outings and has surrendered a total of only two runs in 18 2/3 innings over his past three starts, while striking out 23 batters during that span.

The 21-year-old phenom evened his season record at 5-5 after holding Seattle to two runs and striking out eight over six innings of an 8-2 home win on Friday. Five days earlier, he tossed seven shutout frames to defeat the area- rival Angels in Anaheim on June 21.

Kershaw has split a pair of decisions against the Rockies earlier this season, with both starts having taken place at Coors Field, and is just 2-3 with a 7.30 ERA in five lifetime starts versus Colorado.

Jason Hammel gets the call for the Rockies this afternoon and will be putting a seven-start unbeaten streak on the line. The right-hander has gone 5-0 with a 3.92 ERA over that run, and he's allowed two runs or less in every one of those wins.

Hammel was sharp again on Friday, when he held Oakland to two runs and four hits over a season-best 7 1/3 innings to record his latest win. He's been outstanding on the road this season, having produced a 4-1 record with a 2.13 ERA in eight appearances (6 starts) in enemy parks.

The 26-year-old, acquired by the Rockies in a trade with Tampa Bay prior to Opening Day, has faced the Dodgers twice in a relief role and given up two runs over a combined three innings.