DENVER—Jason Hammel pitched eight sharp innings and scored the only run as the Colorado Rockies beat the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 Saturday night in a rare low-scoring game at Coors Field.
It was only the ninth 1-0 game at Denver since the ballpark opened in 1995. The previous one came last July 6 when the Rockies beat Washington.
Hammel (4-3) was masterful all night. He allowed just three hits, struck out six and walked three in his longest outing of the season. He is 4-1 since coming off the disabled list May 15 with a strained right groin.
Hammel provided the lone run he and the Rockies needed in the sixth. He led off with a walk, went to third on Todd Helton’s one-out single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Gonzalez.
Manuel Corpas worked around a hit in the ninth for his eighth saves in 10 chances.
Fred Lewis had a double and walked twice for the Blue Jays.
The Rockies threatened again in the seventh. Miguel Olivo led off with a double down the left-field line, finished Toronto starter Brandon Morrow (4-5). Reliever David Purcey retired Ian Stewart on a popup and intentionally walked Clint Barmes. After Hammel put down a successful sacrifice bunt, Jonathan Herrera grounded out.
Morrow allowed five hits, walked three and struck out six.
Both teams had chances to score early. Lewis opened the game with a double off Ryan Spilborghs’ glove in left field but was stranded at third when Vernon Wells popped out to first to end the inning.
Helton doubled to lead off the fourth, just missing a home run when his ball bounced off the top of the right-center field wall and back into play. Helton was cut down at third trying to advance on Gonzalez’s groundout.
NOTES: Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki was scratched from the lineup with a sore right groin. … Colorado has eight shutouts as a team this season. … The Rockies agreed to terms with 11 players they selected in the 2010 draft, including 1B Mark Tracy, son of Colorado manager Jim Tracy.
