The Colorado Rockies picked up another close win, 2-1, over the Washington Nationals, and it was with a 2010-like performance by Ubaldo Jimenez on the mound. Jimenez (4-8, 4.14 ERA) was perfect through the first 13 batters of the game before he allowed a Michael Morse single in the fifth. He then walked Jayson Werth to put a second man on, but Jesus Flores grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Jimenez allowed his only run in the sixth inning. Ian Desmond tripled to deep center field when Ryan Spilborghs slid for the ball, which he misjudged. Rick Ankiel pinch-hit for starter Jason Marquis and drove the run in on a ground out. But Jimenez would give up just that run on five hits, three of which never left the infield.
Huston Street ran into trouble in the ninth inning with allowing singles to Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse, but he got Jayson Werth to hit into a game-ending 6-4-3 double play.
Todd Helton moved up on some milestone lists in the game. He hit his 10th home run of the season, breaking the tie for 85th place with Ron Santo at 343 long balls. His double in the eighth inning has him alone in 25th with 544, ahead of Tony Gwynn. Add those two extra-base hits and he now has 922 career, good for sole possession of 53rd place, ahead of Harold Baines, Goose Goslin and Willie McCovey.
That homer came in the fourth inning. Helton added an RBI groundout in the fifth. Troy Tulowitzki went 1-for-3 with a walk in his return to the lineup.
The Rockies (43-47, 21-25 away) finish this series on Sunday afternoon with Jhoulys Chacin and Jordan Zimmermann on the mound.
For more on the Rockies, check out Purple Row. Visit Federal Baseball and SB Nation DC for news and notes on the Nationals.