Rockies 3, Phillies 1

PHILADELPHIA -Shawn Estes allowed one run in six innings and Royce Clayton hit a two-run homer to lead the Colorado Rockies to a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Rockies took three of four in the series, keeping the Phillies 3 games behind Chicago in the NL wild-card race.

After hitting a season-high six home runs, the Phillies were stymied by Estes (13-4). The left-hander scattered four hits and struck out three to win his fifth straight decision.

Tim Harikkala pitched two perfect innings, and Shawn Chacon allowed a hit but struck out the side in the ninth for his 29th save in 37 chances, completing the five-hitter.

Clayton gave the Rockies a 2-0 lead in the third inning with his eighth homer, a two-run shot to left off Corey Lidle (7-11) in his Phillies debut. Lidle was traded by Cincinnati on Monday, a day after he beat the Rockies, though he allowed nine hits and three runs in that start.

Lidle struggled with his control most of Thursday’s game, walking three and giving up three hits in five innings on three-days rest. Manager Larry Bowa said before the game he offered to give Lidle an extra day off, but the right-hander said he felt good enough to pitch.

Tomas Perez hit a leadoff triple in the fifth, lining a pitch to left that bounced off the wall and rolled around the outfield. One out later, pinch-hitter Lou Collier walked and Jimmy Rollins followed with an RBI single.

Placido Polanco then grounded into his second double play of the game, ending the rally.

The Phillies offense reverted to its recent anemic form after scoring 15 runs Wednesday. Bowa shuffled the lineup for the second straight game, moving Jim Thome up a spot to third in the order for only the 10th time this year. Slumping catcher Mike Lieberthal batted fifth for the fourth time this season.

Unlike the previous night, the shake-up didn’t work. Thome went 0-for-4, and Lieberthal was 2-for-3 but hit into an inning-ending double play against Estes in the sixth.

Clayton nearly had another homer with one out in the eighth when his shot to right appeared to be touched by a fan who reached over the wall. The umpires ruled it a double and manager Clint Hurdle came out for a brief argument, but the call stood.

After Todd Jones intentionally walked Todd Helton, he got Vinny Castilla to fly out but Jeromy Burnitz followed with an RBI single to make it 3-1.

Notes: Colorado left fielder Mark Sweeney made a nice hustling catch, running into the corner on a long fly by Thome, who’s tied for the NL lead in homers with 35. … Phillies third baseman David Bell will have an MRI and bone scan on his injured back Friday. He’s listed as day to day with back spasms. … Estes hasn’t lost on the road since May 23 at New York.

AP-ES-08-12-04 2201EDT