COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) _ Marcelo Balboa's acrobatic goal put Colorado ahead to stay and Jorge Dely Valdes contributed a goal and assist Saturday night as the Rapids beat the Columbus Crew 3-2.

With the game tied 1-1, Dely Valdes sent a driving cross to Balboa in the middle of the box. Balboa's bicycle kick from 15 yards out beat Crew goalkeeper Mark Dougherty to his right in the 55th minute.

Junior Agogo made it 3-1 for the visitors five minutes later with a goal from 18 yards out.

Columbus opened the scoring in the sixth minute when Dante Washington scored the first of his two goals by dribbling around Rapids goalkeeper David Kramer.

Dely Valdes tied the game 1-1 with an unassisted goal in the 10th minute.

Columbus had to play a man down after Robert Warzycha was ejected in the 21st minute for a hard foul on Paul Dougherty. The red card was the Crew's first in 59 games.

Washington made it 3-2 with 10 minutes left after Kramer was unable to pull in a cross from Brian McBride. Washington collected the loose ball and put it into an empty net for his fifth goal of the season.

A crowd of 12,295 watched Colorado (3-3) win its first match in Crew Stadium. Columbus (2-3-1) swept Colorado last season.