"The most significant development for the Dodgers on Saturday took place several hours before their game against the Colorado Rockies.

With the stands in Coors Field still empty and trainer Stan Conte standing nearby, Matt Kemp ran in left field.

Gradually, he ran longer and harder, testing out the left hamstring that kept him out of the lineup Friday.

He was fine.

With Kemp back in center field and Casey Blake providing a pinch-hit, three-run double, the Dodgers pounded out a season-high 18 hits on their way to an 11-7 victory over the Rockies.

The Dodgers barely held on for the win, as Tony Gwynn Jr. ended the game with a diving catch in left field of a line drive by Charlie Blackmon with the bases loaded.

If the Dodgers can win the series finale at Coors Field on Sunday, they will head home with five victories on a three-city, 10-game trip that included stops in Cincinnati and Philadelphia.

Word of Kemp's recovery came as a relief to Manager Don Mattingly.

"We really can't afford to lose him for two weeks," Mattingly said.

Kemp went into Saturday with six home runs in his last seven games and 12 in his last 23.

"He's been so hot and so good," Mattingly said. "It's really a different lineup if he's not in there. We don't really have a four-hole guy if he's not there."

The Dodgers fell behind, 1-0, in the second inning when Ty Wigginton hit a home run against Ted Lilly.

Kemp drew a two-out walk to load the bases in the third inning, but James Loney popped up to shortstop.

Kemp tested his hamstring in the bottom half of that inning, making a diving catch of fly ball by Jason Giambi."