No matter what fate awaits the Rockies this season, one thing is certain: Ubaldo Jimenez’s future is hotter than his 99 mph fastball.
The 23-year-old rookie from the Dominican Republic gave the Rockies exactly what they needed in a 5-1 victory over Washington on Saturday night. Mixing his fastball with a roundhouse curve and a biting slider, Jimenez allowed just three hits in seven stellar innings, giving Colorado’s overworked bullpen a much- needed respite.
“I just tried to go after hitters, throw strikes and keep the ball low,” said Jimenez, who is 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA in his past three starts.
His more seasoned teammates gave thanks and praise that the rookie is keeping them in the playoff picture.
“One thing I’ve noticed is that each inning, Ubaldo gets better,” right fielder Brad Hawpe said. “In the seventh inning, he’s better than in the first inning. Plus he throws curveballs, sliders and changeups for strikes, and a 99 mph fastball, so good luck to the other team.”
Manager Clint Hurdle praised Jimenez’s poise.
“It was a very professional outing,” Hurdle said. “The first inning was a little off-kilter, but he hung in there. He was very efficient. He had 10 groundball outs tonight, and I thought he kept the ball down really well. It was good stuff.”
The Rockies’ victory, which took a mere 2 hours, 29 minutes, was their second in a row and clinched the three-game series with the Nationals. However, the Rockies remain 4 1/2 games behind San Diego in the wild- card hunt because the Padres rallied to beat Philadelphia 4-3. But the Rockies did gain some ground as wild-card contenders Philadelphia, Atlanta and the Los Angeles Dodgers lost.
The Rockies’ offense, sparked by Friday night’s ninth-inning rally that provided a crucial 6-5 victory, came through with big hits.
Rookie Troy Tulowitzki hit a solo homer in the first off Nationals starter Tim Redding. It was Tulowitzki’s 18th homer of the season, making him just the fifth shortstop in major-league history to hit 18 homers in his rookie season.
In the fourth, Hawpe hit a two-run homer off Redding, scoring Garrett Atkins. Hawpe’s opposite-field homer was fair by inches, bouncing high off the foul pole in left field. It was Hawpe’s career- high 23rd homer of season, tying him with Matt Holliday for the team lead.
“I was just hoping it stayed fair,” said Hawpe, who got just enough muscle on the ball. “I don’t hit enough balls in that direction to know if it would stay fair.”
Colorado added two more runs in the fifth, cashing in on Holliday’s RBI-single (his 100th RBI of the season) and three walks by Redding, including a bases-loaded walk to Atkins that scored Tulowitzki.
But Jimenez was the story. He gave up a first-inning run but retired the final 12 batters he faced, and 19 of the last 21, before giving way to reliever LaTroy Hawkins for the eighth inning.
Jorge Julio closed the door in the ninth.
Staff writer Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
