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Barmes, Rockies snap eight-game winning streak for Astros

Sep 6, 2008 - 5:42 AM By Brady Delander PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DENVER (Ticker) -- Having won eight straight heading into Friday night and creeping closer to the National League wild card, the Houston Astros of 2008 were looking to become the Colorado Rockies of 2007.

Clint Barmes hit a solo homeh run as the Rockies did all the little things on offense that have been lacking much of the season to snap the Astros' winning streak with a 5-3 victory on Friday night.

Colorado, which won 14 of 15 games down the stretch last season to trigger an improbable run to the World Series, had other ideas for Houston in this one.

"Our discipline paid off," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "We used the big part of the field and had a sacrifice fly to center, so it was much better execution for us on offense. We are capable of that, and those guys know it. They just need to depend on one another. Your job is to make the job for the guy that hits behind you easier, not harder."

Colorado also got good performances from its starting pitcher and bullpen to secure a third win in four games to keep pace in the National League West Division.

"We're right there when you look at it. Nobody in here is giving up yet," Barmes said.

Ubaldo Jimenez struck out six in as many innings and just two of the five hits he allowed were well-hit. Jimenez (10-12) has won eight of his past 12 decisions after starting the season 2-8. His 3.49 ERA at Coors Field is the best by any pitcher with at least 130 innings pitched at the hitter-friendly park.

"I felt really good ? especially after I had a really bad game in my last one. I took a step forward," said Jimenez, who smiled when asked about reaching the 10-win mark. "I don't know if it's going to happen again. Hopefully, I get 10 wins every year, but you never know."

"I thought he cleaned a lot of things up," Hurdle said. "He established fastball command early - the first 16 pitches of the game were fastballs. He was coming after people. And then he started mixing his other pitches in, so it was an effective outing for him."

Closer Brian Fuentes pitched a perfect ninth inning to pick up his 27th save of the season.

Both starters cruised through the first three innings, giving up one hit apiece, but the Rockies decoded Brian Moehler (10-6) in the fourth.

Brad Hawpe drilled a groundball through the middle of the infield to score Willy Taveras from second base, and Garrett Atkins followed with a sacrifice fly to the warning track to plate Matt Holliday. With two outs, Troy Tulowitzki found a hole in the middle for an RBI single that allowed Hawpe to score and put Colorado up, 3-0.

"We had a chance to get back in the game - even late," Astros manager Cecil Cooper said. "They get an infield hit and a hit batter and then score on a ball that barely got through the infield. Once they put a three up and come right back and put two up, it makes it tough."

Barmes led off the fifth with a home run just over the fence in left field, and the Astros pulled Moehler after he loaded the bases with help from a pair of walks. Fernando Nieve took the mound and promptly walked in a run on four pitches to extend the Rockies' advantage to 5-0.

"We are more than capable of doing those little things. We haven't done it all year but we still believe in each other," Tulowitzki said. "We went out there and played our same game, we just happened to get results today."

Houston worked its way onto the scoreboard in the sixth after Michael Bourn drew a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pick-off attempt by Jimenez. Geoff Blum picked up the RBI with a two-out flare over the glove of a leaping Barmes at second base.

Manny Corpas took over for Jimenez with two on and no outs in the seventh. Bourn then plated Darin Erstad with a grounder to first base, and Ty Wigginton sent Humberto Quintero home with a single through the left side of the infield to provide the final margin.

"We came out sluggish. Sometimes when you're playing well and then have a day off it makes it tough to come back out again," Cooper said.