Colorado Rockies shutout Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0 to avoid series sweep - MLB Update
The Colorado Rockies romped to a 3-0 shut-out triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the series finale at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, June 1 to avoid a series sweep.
After losing two straight-games with big margins from the Dodgers, the Rockies’ starter Ubaldo Jimenez this time paved the way to help the club escape a series sweep. The 27-year-old pitcher, who lost his fifth game of the season on May 27 against St. Louis
Cardinals, allowed just four hits and struck-out seven batters over his full game pitching to earn his first win of the season.
The Rockies’ manager Jim Tracy became happy to see a splendid performance from the pitcher.
He said, "We've been waiting for that. He had command of his fastball from the first pitch he threw. He used his fastball to set up all his other pitches. His strikeout to end the game was at 98 mph. We can't win without this guy being the performer he was
for us last year."
While Jimenez kept the opposition under pressure, the Rockies’ batters piled up three runs, one each in second, third and fourth inning, to cement their win. In the second inning, Ty Wigginton drove in a triple on the first pitch and then Jose Morales hit
a sacrifice after a looking strike, to earn an RBI single.
In the third inning, Seth Smith stole second base on a bunt drive and Jonathan Herrera sacrificed to the catcher to let Smith occupy third base. Having Smith on third base, Carlos Gonzalez hit a sacrifice fly to centre-field to take the lead 2-0.
In the fourth inning, Todd Helton launched a 353-feet long one-run homer provide the Rockies strong hold over the game. However, Dodgers’ starter Jon Garland after giving these runs did not yield any run over his six innings.
Apart from three runs on five hits, he allowed one walk and struck-out two batters to bear his fifth loss of the season. The loss has sent the 31-year-old right hander to a 1-5 record with 4.33 ERA after his ninth start of the 2011 Major League Baseball
season.
Josh Lindblom and Scott Elbert, despite providing strong back up to Garland, could not take the game back into their side. Lindblom tossed one scoreless inning while Elbert threw an inning for his second hold.
Closer Matt Guerrier was exceptional with his fastballs as he did not yield even a single hit and struck-out two batters but remained helpless to gather his second save of the season.
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