DENVER -- Antonio Perez replaced an All-Star and played like one himself.
Inserted at second base for an ailing Jeff Kent, Perez homered and drove in a career-high five runs to send the injury-riddled Los Angeles Dodgers to a 9-5 victory Wednesday night over the Colorado Rockies.
"Perez had a great night tonight both offensively and defensively," Los Angeles manager Jim Tracy said. "He executed back-to-back hit-and-runs, put us in position to score us a run and his three-run home run opened the game up."
Jason Phillips added a three-run shot for the Dodgers, who won for only the seventh time in 22 games.
Perez, who had three hits, including his third homer, didn't know Kent would sit out with a sore hamstring until he saw his name on the lineup card when he arrived at the ballpark.
"It was more important for the team," Perez said. "I have to do what I can to help them, whenever I play."
Perez also ranged far to his right to make sparkling plays that kept the Rockies from extending innings. He robbed Preston Wilson twice to begin double plays in the third and fifth.
Brad Penny (5-5) worked 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and nine hits in his second consecutive strong outing. He threw eight scoreless innings in his previous start at Arizona.
Colorado's Shawn Chacon (1-5), who came off the disabled list before the game, gave up six runs and seven hits in six innings. He is 0-6 in his last seven starts.
"Shawn showed some rust," manager Clint Hurdle said. "One inning, the first, got in his way."
Cory Sullivan had three hits and two RBI for the Rockies.
Los Angeles took a 4-0 lead in the first inning. A walk to Oscar Robles, a single by Jayson Werth and a walk to Hee-Seop Choi loaded the bases with one out. Perez got an RBI groundout when shortstop Eddie Garabito's high throw to first failed to complete a double play.
"I should have been out of it on that play," Chacon said. "I still have to come back and make pitches."
Instead, he hung a slider to Phillips, who homered to left, his sixth.
Colorado scored an unearned run in the second when Mike Edwards booted Garabito's two-out grounder to third, allowing Wilson to score. He led off with a double.
Werth doubled in the third and scored on a throwing error by catcher Danny Ardoin, making it 5-1.
Sullivan drove in two runs with a bases-loaded, two-out single in the fourth to make it 5-3.
Los Angeles added a run in the fifth on Perez's groundout. Perez hit a three-run homer in the seventh off David Cortes, making it 9-3.
Jorge Piedra drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth for Colorado.
Notes
- Dodgers OF Milton Bradley took swings for the first time since tearing a ligament in his right ring finger. He went on the disabled list May 30. All-Star shortstop Cesar Izturis (hamstring) is also on the DL, outfielder J.D. Drew (broken wrist) will miss eight weeks and closer Eric Gagne (elbow) is out for the year.
- The Rockies sent RHP Matt Anderson outright to Triple-A Colorado Springs to make room for Chacon.
- The Rockies were 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position.
- Hurdle hinted the experiment with Garabito, who had trouble making plays at SS, had come to an end. "My questions were pretty much answered," Hurdle said.
