SB Nation Denver - Justin Upton's Two-Run Homer Secures Victory For D'Backs, Ubaldo Jimenez's Fourth Losshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48907/denver-fave.png2010-08-21T21:16:27-06:00http://denver.sbnation.com/rss/stream/13995062010-08-21T21:16:27-06:002010-08-21T21:16:27-06:00Ubaldo Jimenez Takes Fourth Loss As D'Backs Win On Justin Upton's Homer
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<p>Phoenix, AZ (<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/54448/recap/112317" target="new">Sports Network</a>) – Barry Enright pitched into the seventh inning and Justin Upton finally got the best of Ubaldo Jimenez by hitting the go- ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning, as Arizona topped Colorado, 3-1, at Chase Field.</p>
<p>Enright (4-2) gave up three hits and a run over 6 2/3 innings. The right- hander moved to 3-0 over his last seven starts and hasn’t lost since July 11 against Florida.</p>
<p>Jimenez (17-4) failed in his third attempt to become the first Rockies pitcher to win 18 games in a single season. Kevin Ritz (1996), Pedro Astacio (1999) and Jeff Francis (2007) all won 17 games for the Rockies.</p>
<p>Jimenez allowed three hits and the three runs over six innings.</p>
<p>Colorado, which suffered a 4-3 loss in 10 innings on Friday, left two men on base in the seventh inning and then threatened in the ninth against Juan Gutierrez. Ian Stewart was hit by a pitch and Chris Iannetta singled with one out. Pinch-hitter Jason Giambi flied out and pinch-hitter Melvin Mora fanned as Gutierrez earned his fourth save.</p>
<p>Upton had been 0-for-15 lifetime against Jimenez entering Saturday. He doubled in the fourth inning and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game.</p>
<p>Then in the sixth, Enright singled with one out. With two down, Upton got hold of the first offering and hit a liner over the wall in left field for his 17th homer of the year.</p>
<p>The Rockies got consecutive singles from Stewart and Todd Helton in the second inning before Iannetta grounded into a fielder’s choice to plate the game’s first run. They failed add to their lead in the third when Troy Tulowitzki fanned, leaving a runner at third base.</p>
<p>Tulowitzki doubled with two down in the sixth, but Stewart fouled out.</p>
<p>Earlier in the day, the Diamondbacks agreed to terms with pitcher Mike Hampton on a minor league contract. The 37-year-old southpaw will report to Triple-A Reno to begin his comeback attempt to the big leagues. Hampton made 21 starts for Houston last season, going 7-10 with a 5.30 <span class="caps">ERA</span>. He has compiled a 148-115 record with a 4.07 earned run average over 409 games, 355 as a starter, during his 15-season career with the Mariners, Astros, Mets, Rockies and Braves…Carlos Gonzalez didn’t start for Colorado due to a knee injury but drew a walk as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning.</p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/2010/8/21/1635736/ubaldo-jimenez-takes-fourth-loss-dbacks-justin-upton-homerRuss Oates2010-08-21T17:03:58-06:002010-08-21T17:03:58-06:00Ubaldo Jimenez Takes Mound To Right The Rockies' Ship
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<p>(<a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/54448/preview/112261">Sports Network</a>) - A blown save last weekend cost <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/537/Ubaldo_Jimenez">Ubaldo Jimenez</a> a MLB-leading and single-season franchise record 18th victory, but given Colorado's current position in the National League Wild Card standings the club can't be too picky about how it wins.</p>
<p>Jimenez aims again for that elusive victory tonight versus Arizona and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/33696/Barry_Enright">Barry Enright</a>, who looks like a pitcher who will win a few games himself, as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/colorado-rockies">Rockies</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/arizona-diamondbacks">Diamondbacks</a> resume a three-game series at Chase Field.</p>
<p>Jimenez, who is tied with St. Louis' <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/973/Adam_Wainwright">Adam Wainwright</a> for the most wins in the majors, picked up victory No. 17 on Aug. 4 versus the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/san-francisco-giants">Giants</a>, but lost to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/new-york-mets">Mets</a> six days later despite seven innings of one-run ball. The right-hander then received a no-decision Sunday against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/milwaukee-brewers">Brewers</a> after <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/70/Huston_Street">Huston Street</a> failed to hold a ninth-inning lead. Jimenez himself allowed three runs on 10 hits over eight frames with 10 strikeouts, but was just glad his team pulled out a victory.</p>
<p>"I'm just happy because we won," said Jimenez on Colorado's website. "I'm a human being, and I wanted to win that game, but so what? It's just a game and I'm going to have more opportunities to win."</p>
<p>That opportunity comes again tonight versus a <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> club that he has beaten three times in three meetings this year, yielding just two runs over 21 innings. Those two runs came in Arizona on June 6 over seven innings of work.</p>
<p>Enright counters Jimenez and he has posted a 2.91 ERA over nine starts, though he is just 3-2. The rookie has allowed two runs or less in seven of those outings, but he matched a career high with three runs given up last time out in a five-inning no-decision versus the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/washington-nationals">Nationals</a> on Sunday.</p>
<p>The 24-year-old righty, who is 2-2 with a 2.93 ERA in five starts at home, faces the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Rockies</a> for the first time.</p>
<p>A blown save by Street cost the Rockies in Friday's opener, as they lost 4-3 in 10 innings and fell seven games back of the NL Wild Card spot. Street came in to protect a two-run lead in the ninth, but yielded a two-out double to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/758/Miguel_Montero">Miguel Montero</a> that plated a pair of runs.</p>
<p>"I was ahead of every single hitter in the inning. I have to do a better job of finishing guys," Street said.</p>
<p>The Diamondbacks then completed the rally the following inning and snapped a four-game losing streak as <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/4313/Justin_Upton">Justin Upton</a> singled and then raced around on <span>Kelly Johnson</span>'s gap hit to left-center.</p>
<p>"The guys really hung in there," Diamondbacks interim manager Kirk Gibson said. "We made some mistakes early, but we made pitches and plays when we had to."</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/33098/Dexter_Fowler">Dexter Fowler</a> went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/493/Troy_Tulowitzki">Troy Tulowitzki</a> drove in a pair of runs to lead the Rockies, who have lost back-to- back games for the first time this month. The club had alternated wins and losses over its previous 16 games.</p>
<p>Colorado also played a second straight game without <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/31379/Carlos_Gonzalez">Carlos Gonzalez</a>, who leads the team with 25 homers, 79 RBI and 19 steals, but is battling a knee injury. He is day-to-day and might be available to pinch-hit in this contest, but is unlikely to start.</p>
<p>These two clubs have split 10 meetings so far this year, with Arizona winning three of the last four.</p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/2010/8/21/2319705/ubaldo-jimenez-takes-mound-to-right-the-rockies-shipRuss Oates