DODGERS NOTEBOOK: JACKSON THROWS TOO MANY PITCHES IN HIS RETURN.

Byline: Tony Jackson  Staff Writer

DENVER - Edwin Jackson started a game for the Dodgers for the first time in more than two months on Sunday, where upon he continued to struggle with his command and throw way too many pitches. But the one thing the rookie right-hander didn't struggle with was his stuff, which is why, after the Dodgers rallied for a 7-6 win over the Colorado Rockies, manager Jim Tracy offered at least some semblance of a positive review.

``I'm not disappointed,'' Tracy said. ``He had a good fastball and threw some terrific changeups. But to only make it into the fifth inning and already have thrown (99) pitches, that tells you there have been some deep counts. That caused his biggest problems. But the encouraging part was that ... his arm was very good.''

Jackson spent almost two months on the disabled list with a right forearm strain, toward the end of which he displayed an alarming degree of wildness during a series of rehabilitation starts for Triple-A Las Vegas. Pitching in place of an injured Jose Lima on Sunday, Jackson was solid through the first four innings, allowing four hits, a homer by Jeromy Burnitz and just one walk.

After issuing a two-out intentional walk to Todd Helton in the fifth, Jackson appeared to run out of gas. He gave up an RBI single to Vinny Castilla, then walked Burnitz and J.D. Closser in succession, bringing Tracy out of the dugout. Scott Stewart then gave up a two-run single to Luis Gonzalez, putting the Dodgers in a 5-0 hole and leaving Jackson on the hook for all five runs.

Jackson struck out four.

``Overall, I felt pretty good,'' he said. ``The last inning, I was still throwing strikes, but they put the ball in play. I pretty much had my control, and that has been my biggest problem. Today, I went right at them and threw strikes until that last inning.''

Club officials are hopeful that Lima, who has a slight fracture on the outside of his right thumb, can make his next scheduled start on Saturday at San Diego. Jackson probably pitched well enough that he will get the call over reliever Elmer Dessens if Lima can't go.

--Record setter: Adrian Beltre set a franchise mark with his three-run double in the seventh inning on Sunday. The hit, a drive to the wall in left-center, gave Beltre 111 RBI, passing the previous single-season Dodgers mark for a third baseman (110) set by Ron Cey in 1977.

``It feels good, but it's nothing I'm thinking about,'' Beltre said. ``Hopefully, I'll get a lot more the next two weeks and help us clinch the division.''

--Tired pen: Jackson became the fifth Dodgers starter in the past 10 games to fail to complete five innings, creating another long work day for what appears to be a tired bullpen.

On Saturday, it was the usually reliable Giovanni Carrara who uncharacteristically fell apart, giving up five runs in the seventh inning.

On Sunday, it was rookie setup man Yhency Brazoban, who came in with a sterling 0.72 ERA. He promptly walked the first batter in the eighth inning, then gave up a tiebreaking single to Jorge Piedra, putting the Rockies up 6-5.