DENVER -- If a World Series hero like Derek Lowe has the pitching rotation scrambled to avoid taking the mound in Coors Field, imagine what the place can do to a 20-year-old rookie like Clayton Kershaw.

Kershaw had been sent back to Double-A for a three-week refresher course to refine his changeup. So, how many changeups did he throw in his first start back?

"One -- for a double," said Kershaw, who made 74 pitches and allowed more hits than batters he retired on Tuesday night when the Dodgers were blown out by the Rockies, 10-1, and dropped back into second place. "I need to throw more. I'm not sure why I didn't."

Kershaw said he didn't think about the ballpark, the altitude or any other aspects of the typical Coors Field folklore. But he must have seen the pitching lines from Monday night's 26-run slugfest, because he never showed the aggressiveness displayed by his Colorado counterpart, Ubaldo Jimenez. Facing a Dodgers lineup that broke out for a season-high 16 runs the night before, Jimenez tossed a four-hit complete game, spoiled only by Matt Kemp's ninth-inning homer.

Kershaw's line -- five runs on 10 hits and three walks in three-plus innings -- was worse than that of fellow rookie Eric Stults, who was sent down after his start on Monday night to make room for Kershaw because manager Joe Torre felt Stults wasn't aggressive enough.

On Wednesday, Torre gives the ball to Hiroki Kuroda, meaning he will have started three rookie pitchers in Coors Field. Thursday is an off-day, and the Dodgers just might want to have one of their sports psychologists on hand for a group session with the pitching staff.

"It's not easy pitching in this park, although Jimenez had no trouble," said Torre. "He shut us down completely. We threw too many balls over the middle of the plate."

Kershaw looked pretty much the same as during his earlier stint, when he went 0-2 with a 4.42 ERA, relying primarily on a blazing fastball and overhead curve. Rockies hitters laid off the curve and were ready for poorly located fastballs, of which there were plenty.

Kershaw was done in by a four-run third inning and was removed after loading the bases with no outs in the fourth. Jeff Baker led Colorado with four hits; Brad Hawpe and Ian Stewart each homered and collected three hits.

"This lineup is pretty intimidating -- there's not a soft spot in it," said Torre, who earlier had said that he wouldn't hesitate to have Kershaw return in Denver, even though the organization won't send Kershaw to Triple-A because of the hitter-friendly parks in the Pacific Coast League.

"I'm not worried about him. Chalk it up to a bad outing and he'll come back next time."

Torre has plenty of other pitchers to worry about. In five games since the All-Star break, his starters are averaging four innings per start with a 9.15 ERA. Management has been counting on a second-half shot in the arm by Kershaw since Spring Training. Maybe it will take hold when he returns to sea level, but not on this night.

"I've still got a lot to prove," Kershaw said. "They've given me so many chances to prove myself, and so far, I haven't. The first time, I was pretty mediocre and I didn't pitch well enough to stay. So far this time, the same thing.

"I keep saying I want to learn each time, but I have to just put this one out of my mind. I can't take anything away from this game. I've just got to forget about it as quick as possible and get ready for the next start.

"I pitched well at Double-A; I got people out quick in counts. I had the same game plan tonight. I didn't overthrow. It's hard to explain. A bad night overall."

Jason Johnson, originally announced to start this game, wound up being the only effective Dodgers pitcher. He inherited a bases-loaded, no-out situation from Kershaw, restored order by escaping the mess unscathed and allowed only one run in four innings -- possibly earning a start next week.

"I knew it was my job to eat innings," he said. "I could have gone longer if they wanted me to."

Ramon Troncoso was roughed up for four runs in one inning.