• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Jimenez's walk-off single completes Nationals' comeback

Jul 20, 2007 - 4:18 AM WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- D'Angelo Jimenez's first hit as a pinch hitter helped the Washington Nationals to a rare win over the Colorado Rockies.

Jimenez hit a walk-off single in the 10th inning as the Nationals posted a 5-4 victory over the Rockies on Thursday.

Jimenez's base hit through the box scored Austin Kearns, who led off the 10th by drawing a walk from LaTroy Hawkins (1-5).

Kearns was sacrificed to second and advanced to third on a passed ball charged to Yorvitt Torrealba. That set the stage for Jimenez, who hit a 2-0 pitch into center field and was mobbed by teammates at first base.

Jimenez, who had been 0-for-20 as a pinch hitter, raised his season average to .077 (2-for-26).

"I was so excited when I hit the ball," Jimenez said. "They almost caught it, but I said, 'It's a base hit.' It's kind of been frustrating."

Washington manager Manny Acta was not surprised the Rockies elected to face Jimenez instead of walking him to set up a possible double play.

"I would pitch to him. He was 0-for-20," Acta said. "Everyone in there was pulling for him."

Along with Jimenez, Washington's bullpen was a huge reason why the Nationals picked up their first win over the Rockies in nine tries.

Luis Ayala, Chad Cordero and Jon Rauch (4-2) combined for four perfect innings before Jimenez's heroics.

Meanwhile, Hawkins was upset with himself for walking the leadoff hitter in the 10th, his second inning of work.

"I don't like walking guys," Hawkins said. "If you beat me, I'd like you to beat me the way that you did. I don't like giving free passes."

Washington, which boasts the worst record in the National League, rallied against one of the hottest teams in the game by scoring two runs in the eighth.

A two-out single by pinch hitter Jesus Flores and a costly error by Colorado right fielder Brad Hawpe helped the Nationals tie the game at 4-4.

With runners on first and second, Flores laced a single into right, and a charging Hawpe had the ball skip under his glove and roll all the way to the wall. Kearns came around to score the tying run and send RFK Stadium into a frenzy.

"I didn't field it," Hawpe said. "No excuses. (I) just screwed up." The late rally denied rookie Ubaldo Jimenez his first career win. One of Colorado's top pitching prospects, Ubaldo Jimenez allowed two runs and four hits with five strikeouts and two walks in five-plus innings.

The 23-year-old, who made his season debut because Taylor Buchholz was moved to the bullpen, had made just one previous start in the major leagues.

Meanwhile, Washington rookie Matt Chico allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings. He has just one win in his last 11 starts.