Rockies 3 - 2 Nationals
Final
  for this game

Rockies beat Nationals to halt skid

Jul 9, 2011 - 3:54 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Ty Wigginton and Cole Garner had run-scoring singles as the Rockies edged the Nationals, 3-2, in the first of a three-game series.

Jason Hammel (5-8) allowed two runs on five hits and two walks as Colorado snapped its five-game losing streak.

"Being able to locate my fastball was huge. You have got to be able to use the fastball on both sides of the plate. I was able to do that tonight and I kept a good hitting team off balance," said Hammel.

Huston Street faced the minimum in the ninth to earn his 25th save of the season.

John Lannan (5-6) took the loss, allowing three runs on three hits in 3 1/3 innings. He was knocked out of the game after taking a line drive to the face.

Wilson Ramos homered for the Nationals, losers in two straight.

Washington struck first after loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the first on a double by Roger Bernadina, a walk by Danny Espinosa and a high- bouncing infield single by Ryan Zimmerman. But the Nationals only managed to push one run across the plate on Michael Morse's sacrifice fly to deep center field after Jayson Werth struck out and Rick Ankiel popped out to second to end the inning.

After back-to-back one-out singles by Jonathan Herrera and Todd Helton in the fourth inning, Wigginton lined a fastball back at the mound that struck Lannan just below the right eye. Lannan immediately popped up and walked off the field. Herrera scored on the play, and Ryan Mattheus took the mound.

Lannan was later diagnosed with a nasal contusion and is listed as day-to-day.

"We're very fortunate there wasn't a lot of damage. That ball was smoked," said Nationals manager Davey Johnson about Lannan. "I think he's going to be alright. He may not even miss a start with the All-Star break, and that's a blessing there."

Mark Ellis then hit a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners, and a run was allowed when home plate umpire Bob Davidson called a balk on Mattheus. Garner followed with an RBI single into left field, making it a 3-1 game.

Ramos made it one-run game in the bottom half of the inning when he hammered a solo homer into the left-center field bleachers.

Street allowed a leadoff single to Morse in the ninth to put the tying run on the basepaths. But Brian Bixler replaced Morse as a pinch-runner and as Werth fanned on a 1-2 slider, Bixler was thrown out stealing second, emptying the bases. Ankiel then struck out on three pitches to end the game.

Game Notes

Colorado placed center fielder Charlie Blackmon on the 15-day disabled list and recalled Garner from Colorado Springs and Washington placed catcher Ivan Rodriguez on the 15-day DL and recalled catcher Jesus Flores from Syracuse on Friday...Hammel has now pitched at least six innings in 14 of his 18 starts this season...Hammel improved to 3-0 lifetime against Washington in five starts...Washington fell to 5-4 in its season-long 11-game homestand.






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