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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Rockies' Jimenez dominates Padres


Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Colorado Rockies' Ubaldo Jimenez struck out 13 in the 5-2 win over San Diego.

LENNY IGNELZI | Associated Press

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SAN DIEGO — When Ubaldo Jimenez started snapping off fastballs that reached 101 mph on the radar gun, Colorado Rockies manager Jim Tracy knew it was going to be a good night.

Jimenez struck out a career-high 13, became the first six-game winner in the majors this season and hit an RBI single to lead the Colorado Rockies to a 5-2 win over the NL West-leading San Diego Padres last night.

"The fastball tonight ranks up there with any of the other starts he's had up to this point," Tracy said of Jimenez, who was making his third start since throwing the franchise's first no-hitter on April 17 at Atlanta.

"That fastball was explosive, and it was being poured downhill, especially in the early part of the game," Tracy said. "And he did a very good job of sending the message within the first couple hitters of the game that he was going to establish it and he was going to throw it over the plate."

The hard-throwing Jimenez (6-0) held the Padres to one run and four hits in seven innings, with two walks.

He retired the last nine batters he faced, striking out five of the final six. His ERA rose from a major league-leading 0.79 to 0.87, dropping him into a tie with Livan Hernandez of the Washington Nationals.

Each Padres batter who got a hit off Jimenez struck out the next time up.

"It's always fun to have strikeouts, but I didn't even think about it," he said. "Every time that I come here to San Diego, it's always good. Everything moves different. The breaking ball is really nasty, and my fastball moves a lot. So I love it here."

Jimenez, Joe Beimel and Rafael Betancourt combined for a six-hitter.

Reds 3, Mets 2: Laynce Nix hit a solo, pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the 11th inning, powering host Cincinnati over New York and keeping the Reds a perfect 3-0 in extra innings.

Nix hit a drive off Manny Acosta (1-1) that barely cleared the wall in right-center field with one out for his first career game-ending homer.

Cardinals 6, Phillies 3: Jaime Garcia allowed one run in six innings, David Freese had three RBIs and Nick Stavinoha homered as St. Louis beat host Philadelphia.

Garcia (3-1), a rookie left-hander, gave up three hits and struck out six.

Diamondbacks 9, Astros 1: Cesar Valdez won his major league debut and Chris Snyder hit a three-run homer to lead Arizona over host Houston.

Valdez (1-0) was called up from Triple-A Reno yesterday and allowed one run in five innings. He gave up five hits and walked three.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Blue Jays 5, Indians 1: Brett Cecil took a perfect game into the seventh inning as Toronto beat host Cleveland.

Cecil (2-1) lost the perfect game when he walked Grady Sizemore with one out in the seventh. Cecil allowed one hit over eight innings, striking out a career-high 10.

Red Sox 17, Angels 8: Dustin Pedroia's three-run homer capped Boston's seven-run sixth inning against visiting Los Angeles.

Bill Hall and Adrian Beltre each hit their first homers in a Red Sox uniform, both two-run shots, and Kevin Youkilis had a solo blast.

Yankees 4, Orioles 1: CC Sabathia pitched eight strong innings and Randy Winn hit a three-run homer to lead host New York over Baltimore.

Sabathia (4-1) allowed one run — Matt Wieters' second-inning homer — and six hits while improving to 11-1 in 16 career starts against Baltimore.

Twins 10, Tigers 4: Wilson Ramos had three more hits as Joe Mauer's missed his third straight game with a bruised heel, and Michael Cuddyer added a three-run homer and host Minnesota snapped Detroit's five-game winning streak.

Ramos had two doubles and an RBI and Scott Baker (3-2) allowed three runs and seven hits with six strikeouts in seven innings for the Twins.

White Sox 5, Royals 1: Jake Peavy pitched seven-plus shutout innings in his most impressive start of the season and Alex Rios had three hits and two RBIs as host Chicago beat Kansas City.

Peavy (1-2) struck out a season-high nine and gave up four hits. He didn't allow a hit until Mitch Maier singled with two outs in the fifth.

Rangers 4, Athletics 2: Rich Harden struck out a season-high nine in seven scoreless innings and dominated his former team as first-place Texas won its season-best fourth straight by beating host Oakland.

Harden (2-1) didn't allow a hit until Rajai Davis' one-out double in the sixth. He gave up two hits in all and didn't walk a batter for the first time in his six starts.

NOTES

Phillies: A police officer used a Taser gun to apprehend a fan who ran onto the field during a Phillies game last night, and the team and the police are investigating whether it was an appropriate use of force.

The teams said it's the first time a Taser has been used by police to apprehend a spectator who ran onto the field.

The fan was 17-year-old male and he will be charged with criminal trespass and related offenses, the team said. The Phillies did not release his name because he is a juvenile.

Mets: New York pitcher Mike Pelfrey has undergone a precautionary MRI on his right shoulder but expects to make his next scheduled start. In other news, right-hander Kelvim Escobar will have shoulder surgery tomorrow and miss the entire season.

Royals: Hoping to revitalize Alex Gordon's offense, the Kansas City Royals are moving him on defense. One day after the Royals optioned Gordon to Triple-A Omaha, Kansas City manager Trey Hillman said that Gordon will shift from third base to left field in the minors.

Reds: Cincinnati outfielder Chris Dickerson will be out four to six weeks following surgery on his right hand and wrist. Dickerson had part of the hamate bone in his hand removed yesterday. Doctors also cleaned out his wrist, which has been bothering him for a while.

Phillies: Philadelphia reliever Ryan Madson will have surgery today on the broken right toe he injured when he kicked a chair after blowing a save. Philadelphia trainer Scott Sheridan said before last night's game against St. Louis that there will be a better timetable for Madson's return following the surgery.