Colorado Rockies Shut Washington Nationals Out, 1-0 In Coors Field.

DC right-hander Craig Stammen gave up a run in the first inning tonight on an RBI double by Todd Helton that followed a one-out single by Clint Barmes, resulting in an early 1-0 Rockies' lead. A double play grounder ended the threat in the first, and Stammen got the help of two more DP's over his next six scoreless innings on the mound, as he allowed just 3 additional hits, holding Colorado off the board...But the Nationals never scored on Jason Marquis, who held DC to seven hits in what was apparently just the eighth 1-0 game in the history of Coors Field. (The Rockies have won 5 of the 8.) 

Rockies win, 1-0 final. 

Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...

BACKPAGE: (under construction)

• Dunn Falls 10ft Short Of No. 301...First And Third, No Out Failure Follows...

• Seriously, Who Hasn't Signed Up For Bowden-Tweets By Now...?

For The Completists, Full Game Report After The Jump...

DWDT: 22.

Nationals now 24-56.

BACKPAGE:

• Dunn Falls 10ft Short Of No. 301...First And Third, No Out Failure Follows...

Adam Dunn started the seventh with a long fly ball to right on a 1-0 slider from Jason Marquis, but it fell short of the wall, holding the Nationals' slugger to a double instead of HR No. 301. Josh Willingham got a first pitch fastball from the Rockies' righty and hit a single to left to advance Dunn to third. After taking a first pitch fastball, Cristian Guzman was swinging, and he connected on the second heater, sending it back to the mound, Marquis made the play and spotted Adam Dunn too far off third, so he fired to to Ian Stewart, who applied the tag. Josh Bard hit the third single of the inning, but the Hammer was held up at third, so when Ronnie Belliard followed with a DP grounder, the Nationals' best chance of the night was wasted.  

Huston Street comes out in the ninth to complete the shutout, and retires Cristian Guzman, Josh Bard and Ronnie Belliard in order to end the Rockies' 43rd win. The Nationals lose their 56th of 80. 

• Seriously, Who Hasn't Signed Up For Bowden-Tweets By Now...?

The Giants are working on a trade for Nick Johnson. Lastings Milledge always belonged in left. Ryan Zimmerman's an All-Star, Bowden's singing Smashmouth, and this is all in Day 1 of Jim Bowden's Twitter Feed!!! Seriously, why can't Jim Bowden stop talking about the Washington Nationals? First he shows up on the radio in late April, as captured by Washington Times' writer Thom Loverro in an article entitled, "Loverro: Bowden Finds His Calling In La-La Land". Then Mr. Bowden decides to break his silence in a series of interviews with WUSA9.com News, and 9News Now, and now, he's Twittering about the Nationals three times in one day? (ed. note - "Where are the sources on the rumor of the Giants' attempts to trade for Nick Johnson?") I only ask because Mr. Bowden, (If it is really him?), ends the day with this Tweet:

"Michael Jackson said people hear lies or make false assumptions and after awhile everyone believes it without knowing the real truth."

Uh, can you please stop talking about the Nationals? Please?

GAME REPORT:

Washington Nationals At Colorado Rockies. Game 80 or 81 of 162. 

Nyjer Morgan leads off with a grounder back to the mound, Rockies’ righty Jason Marquis makes the play for the first out. Nick Johnson flies out to center, a few feet in front of the track where Dexter Fowler makes the catch. Ryan Zimmerman grounds to second and Clint Barmes can’t come up with it. Brad Hawpe waits for Adam Dunn’s line drive to fall into his glove in right, and then heads in for the Rockies’ first...Craig Stammen gets the high outside corner for a called strike three on Dexter Fowler. Clint Barmes drops a single in from of Josh Willingham in right, and scores when Todd Helton doubles to the left center gap. 1-0 Rockies. Craig Stammen walks Brad Hawpe. Troy Tulowitzki helps Stammen, grounding to Cristian Guzman at short to Ronnie Belliard to Nick Johnson, double play. 

Josh Willingham grounds out to Ian Stewart at third. Cristian Guzman gives Dexter Fowler more work, flying out to center. Josh Bard K’s chasing an 0-2 slider...Ian Stewart test Guzman’s arm and gets throw out. Chris Iannetta flies out to Willingham just short of the track in right. Nyjer Morgan goes a long way into left center to catch a fly ball off Carlos Gonzalez’s bat.

Ronnie Belliard starts the third with a groundout to second. Craig Stammen rolls one back to Marquis, who steps and throws to first. Nyjer Morgan works a two-out walk out of Marquis. Nick Johnson up, Morgan takes second. Johnson battles Marquis but gets punched out on a two-seamer inside that cuts back into the zone...Jason Marquis beats Ronnie Belliard to the hole with a leadoff single in the Rockies’ fifth. Jason Marquis slides in hard at second to break up the DP attempt, but he’s forced at second. Dexter Fowler swipes second when Josh Bard’s throw bounces short of the bag. 

Ryan Zimmerman grounds to Clint Barmes at second for the first out of the fourth. Adam Dunn K’s looking at a fastball outside. Josh Willingham grounds to Ian Stewart at short who charges in, barehands and fires to first, in time!...Big Todd Helton grounds to first, Nick Johnson circles around it and tosses to Stammen covering. Nick Johnson dives and rolls over the first base line as he fields a sharp grounder off of Brad Hawpe’s bat. Nick Johnson gets the last groundout too, and Stammen covers to get Tulowitzki. 

Cristian Guzman lines out to center on an 0-2 pitch from Marquis. Josh Bard singles to left in front of Carlos Gonzalez. Ronnie Belliard takes a fastball out to Dextwer Fowler in dead center...Craig Stammen bounces out to second to end the DC fifth...Ian Stewart reaches on a line drive single to right. Ryan Zimmerman throws to second too late to get Stewart, but the relay’s in time to get Chris Iannetta. Carlos Gonzalez grounds to short, Guzman gets eaten up, drops it, no chance on a throw. Jason Marquis looks out at Stammen with a "wait til you come up" look after K’ing on a nasty sinker inside. Dexter Fowler flies out to Willingham in right. 

Nyjer Morgan grounds back into Marquis’ glove. One down. Nick Johnson flies out to Carlos Gonzalez in left. Ryan Zimmerman grounds out to Troy Tulowitzki to end a quick Nationals’ sixth...Clint Barmes bounces a double off the wall in left, Adam Dunn fires it back in, but it’s a double. Todd Helton lines to first, Johnson makes the catch, fires to second, and doubles up Barmes!! Brad Hawpe grounds to Belliard, throw to first ends the sixth. 

Adam Dunn hits one 340 ft to right, the wall is 350. Leadoff double. Josh Willingham singles Dunn over to third. Cristian Guzman grounds back to the mound, Dunn’s caught and out at third. Josh Bard singles to right, Hammer stops at third, bases loaded for Ronnie Belliard. Belliard grounds to Tulowitzki to Barmes, to Helton, double play to end the top of the frame...Troy Tulowitzki takes strike three and voices his disagreement on the way back to the bench. Nick Johnson catches a high pop fly off of Ian Stewart’s bat. Nyjer Morgan catches Iannetta’s pop fly to end the seventh. 

Willie Harris hits for Stammen in the eighth. Clint Barmes fields Willie Harris’ grounder behind second and throws to first in time. Nyjer Morgan lines a single over second with one down. Nick Johnson hits a trademark single to right, NJ™, Morgan to second, and they both move up on a groundout by Zimmerman. Adam Dunn gets the intentionals to load’em up for the Hammer. Josh Willingham flies out to right, Marquis through eight...Joe Beimel starts the eighth with a leadoff walk to Carlos Gonzalez. Jason Marquis fails on the bunt attempt, popping out to the pitcher. Dexter Fowler grounds to short, Guzman takes the out at first. Beimel vs Barmes with two down. Beimel gets a swinging K with a fastball outside. 

Cristian Guzman pops up behind second, Clint Barmes sprints back to get there. Huston Street gets a groundout to first from Josh Bard, and a groundout to short from Ronnie Belliard, Tulowitzki throws to Helton and it’s a 1-0 shutout win for the Rockies.

Nationals now 24-56.