This Streak Goes to 11

As good-luck charms go, Greg Maddux and Wilson Betemit are becoming can’t-live-without commodities for their new team.

The Dodgers still haven’t lost a game in which either has appeared, none of the victories coming in more dramatic fashion than a come-from-behind, 4-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.

Maddux pitched six solid, if unspectacular, innings and Betemit ignited a two-run, seventh-inning rally with a mammoth home run as the Dodgers extended their season-high winning streak to 11 games. The Dodgers are 2-0 in games Maddux has started and 9-0 when Betemit is their third baseman.

“Not enough can be said about the moves that were made in the last couple of weeks for this ballclub,” said Manager Grady Little, whose club has benefited from a pair of deals made just before the non-waiver trading deadline.

The Dodgers’ winning streak is their longest since they won 11 consecutive games from May 17-29, 1993, and they are four victories away from tying the franchise record set in 1924.

More important, the Dodgers moved to within half a game of the San Diego Padres in the National League West -- the closest they’ve been since they were tied for the division lead on July 5 -- and remained tied with Cincinnati Reds atop the wild-card standings.

Maddux wasn’t nearly as impressive as he had been last week in his Dodgers debut, when he pitched six no-hit innings against Cincinnati before a rain delay curtailed his outing. In fact, the veteran right-hander gave up hits to four of the first six Rockies hitters.

But Maddux kept the Dodgers within striking distance by giving up only two runs, and his teammates pounced for the tying and go-ahead runs in the seventh inning.

“You’re not going to throw a no-hitter every time you’re out there,” catcher Russell Martin said.

Betemit tied the score at 2-2 when he launched a leadoff homer into the right-field pavilion off Rockies starter Byung-Hyun Kim, who was pulled after surrendering a subsequent single to Martin. Martin stole second base -- on a pitchout, no less -- and scored on pinch-hitter Olmedo Saenz’s single to left-center.

“With two strikes, I didn’t want to overswing,” said Saenz, whose clutch hit thrilled a crowd that included several family members visiting from Panama. “I just wanted to hit a line drive.”

Andre Ethier drove in an insurance run in the eighth, providing Dodgers closer Takashi Saito with a two-run cushion before Saito pitched a perfect ninth to record his 12th save in as many opportunities.

A near-capacity crowd of 50,210 buzzed in anticipation of Maddux’s first Dodger Stadium start as a member of the home team. But the dream of another no-hit performance fizzled when Maddux yielded a single to leadoff hitter Jamey Carroll on his third pitch.

Rockies slugger Todd Helton, batting in the No. 2 spot for the first time this season, followed with a single up the middle, but Maddux escaped the two-on, no-out jam by inducing a double-play grounder from Garrett Atkins and striking out Matt Holliday.

Rafael Furcal gave the Dodgers an early lead when he belted a leadoff homer to right-center field in the bottom of the first inning.

But Brad Hawpe doubled off the wall in right-center leading off the second and scored the tying run on Yorvit Torrealba’s single up the middle. Torrealba gave the Rockies a 2-1 lead in the fourth when he hit a run-scoring single past drawn-in second baseman Jeff Kent, but he struck out chasing a 96-mph fastball from Jonathan Broxton to end the eighth with runners on second and third.