Blowers’ Hitting Streak Comes to a Halt

Third baseman Mike Blowers’ hitting streak ended at 19 games in Sunday’s 3-0 loss to the Rockies. He was hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts.

Given the green light to swing at a 3-and-0 pitch, he flew out to the warning track in center field with one one and a runner on first in the second inning.

“I don’t think Joe DiMaggio was too concerned anyway,” Blowers said. “It’s over and I’ll try to start another one when we get back.”

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Executive Vice President Fred Claire is pleased with the club’s play in the first half of the season.

“As we go into the All-Star break we’re in a position to win our division and get into postseason play, and that was the objective when we started,” Claire said. “We’re certainly in a striking position.”

Claire said he doesn’t anticipate making any trades.

“I’ve been pleased with the team,” Claire said. “I don’t want the players to start thinking that a move is coming, because that’s not accurate, and I want to be very supportive of the players because I believe in them.

“As we get closer to August and the stretch run, then we’ll look. I mean, if there was a veteran hitter that we could acquire who could help us down the stretch I think we’ve got to be open to that thought, but it’s not something that we’re out there driving to do at this point.”

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Pitcher Tom Candiotti, whose right elbow was bruised when he was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fifth inning of Saturday’s 3-2 victory over the Rockies, said he doesn’t expect to miss his next start. He’s scheduled to pitch Sunday against the San Francisco Giants.

“It feels a lot better today than it did yesterday,” Candiotti said. “There’s still a lot of fluid in it right now, but it’s just a matter of treating it and getting the swelling down.”

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After combining for 85 runs and 25 homers in a four-game series at Coors Field last weekend, the Dodgers and Rockies combined for 30 runs and four homers, all by the Dodgers, in their four-game series here. . . . Rocky first baseman Andres Galarraga, who went hitless in 12 at-bats in three games in the series, was two for 26 on the Rockies’ seven-game trip, with the hits coming in his first two at-bats. He’s hitting only .274, his lowest batting average since June 1.