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WASHINGTON -- Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez entered this season looking for at least a repeat of 2010. Now he'll be happy with a reversal.An injury-induced slump that marred his first two months far behind him, Jimenez turned in arguably his best start of the season by striking out eight and holding the Nationals to Ken Griffey Jersey five hits in eight innings of a Anaheim Matt Kemp Jersey Jersey 2-1 victory.The Rockies, who James Loney Jersey came to Washington on a season-worst five-game losing streak, have Albert Pujols Jersey taken the first Matt Kemp Jersey Jersey two in the final three-game series before the All-Star break. They will go into Sunday afternoon's series Authentic Casey Blake Jersey finale looking for their Rafael Furcal Jersey second road sweep of the season -- the first since taking four from the Mets April 11-14.Todd Helton drove in both runs Saturday, one on his 10th home run of the season. Victory wasn't assured until Huston Street Mariners Ken Griffey Jersey (26 saves in 28 chances) forced a Jayson Authentic Clayton Kershaw Jersey Werth double-play grounder with runners at the corners to end the game.But above all, the Clayton Kershaw Jersey Rockies' ace is truly here.Jimenez (4-8) went White Sox Michael Jordan Jersey 0-5 with a 5.86 ERA in his first nine starts, which were interrupted by a cut thumb cuticle that cost him two starts, and marred by nagging leg muscle injuries suffered during Spring Training. Since then, pitching with little run support, he is 4-3 with a 2.52 ERA in eight starts Ichiro Suzuki Jersey -- with 50 strikeouts to 11 walks, and 48 hits allowed in 53 2/3 innings.Last year, Jimenez went 15-1 with a 2.20 ERA in the first half, White Sox Nellie Fox Jersey and started the All-Star Game for the National League. Partly because of slumps, Authentic Ichiro Suzuki Jersey and partly because of untimely miscues by his defense and bullpen, he was 4-7 with a 3.80 ERA the rest of the way.With the Rockies finishing Saturday 7 1/2 games behind the NL West-leading Giants, but hoping for a second-half run like they've had Mariners Felix Hernandez Jersey in past seasons, this would be a fine time for Jimenez to pitch the second half the way he started last year."I'm 100 percent; everything is back to normal," Jimenez said. "I just have to find a way to keep the speed and the location at the same time."If I have to choose [the time], I'm going to choose the second half. Why not?"Jimenez retired the first 13 batters he faced, finishing the third and Authentic James Loney Jersey fourth innings with 97-mph fastballs, one to strike out losing pitcher Jason Marquis (7-4), the other resulting in a weak Ryan Zimmerman grounder. He also froze Zimmerman with a 96-mph fastball -- after dropping to a sidearm angle -- for a strikeout to open the Casey Blake Jersey seventh, and then punched out pinch-hitter Matt Stairs with a 95-mph heater in the eighth for a third strike.<BR>Jimenez's first win of the season was a four-hit road shutout of the Dodgers on June 1, but even in that Authentic Andre Ethier Jersey game his pitch action did not compare to what it was Saturday night."That was Ubaldo Jimenez of a year ago," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "He was in complete control from the outset."Jimenez had some Nellie Fox Jersey help Anaheim Clayton Kershaw Jersey from shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, in his return from missing four games with a right quadriceps strain. Tulowitzki went to his right Authentic Ken Griffey Jersey to backhand Jesus Flores' grounder in the fifth, leaped and threw across his body to second Anaheim Casey Blake Jersey base to start an inning-ending double play. Tulowitzki went Anaheim Rafael Furcal Jersey 1-for-3 at the plate.The Nationals Authentic Matt Kemp Jersey Jersey finally broke through with a run in the sixth. Ryan Spilborghs, playing center field because of Carlos Gonzalez's sore right wrist, couldn't corral Andre Ethier Jersey Ian Desmond's hit, resulting in a triple for the Washington shortstop. Desmond then scored on Rick Ankiel's grounder.In the eighth, with two on because of infield singles, Jimenez worked Danny Espinosa into a flyout to left fielder Ty Wigginton in foul Mariners Ichiro Suzuki Jersey ground."He's filthy," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said. "He's one of the best pitchers Anaheim James Loney Jersey in the Authentic Nellie Fox Jersey league. We've been swinging the bats pretty good, but he calmed us down quite a bit. I think we outhit them [7-6, counting two hits off Street in the ninth], just couldn't score."Helton's home run was his 921st career extra-base hit, which moved him ahead of Willie McCovey and into a tie for 53rd place all-time with Harold Baines and Goose Goslin. Helton added an RBI on a groundout in Anaheim Andre Ethier Jersey the fifth. Spilborghs singled to open the inning, but Nationals left fielder Laynce Nix threw him Authentic Rafael Furcal Jersey out trying to score on a Mark Ellis double into the left-field corner.In the eighth, Helton knocked his 544th career double to move ahead of Hall of Famer Willie McCovey and tie Harry Heilman for 24th place all-time on that list. But Nix robbed the Authentic Albert Pujols Jersey Rockies again by diving for a Tulowitzki line drive and doubling Helton off second.Street survived a ninth-inning leadoff single by Zimmerman, who reached because Tulowitzki slipped after fielding the ball and didn't make the throw in time, and a one-out, broken-bat single by Michael Felix Hernandez Jersey Morse that put runners at the corners.But Street, who fanned Nix on a Authentic Felix Hernandez Jersey slider in the dirt in between, forced Werth to ground to Tulowitzki for the game-finishing double play that gave Jimenez the victory he deserved."It's big for Jimenez to get the win -- not just for the team to get the win," Street said. "We all pretend like we're not results-oriented. But Cardinals Albert Pujols Jersey at the end of the day, you have a start like that, when you walk off the mound, you deserve a win."
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