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Rockies give up one run, lose at home to Philadelphia

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Colorado Rockies second baseman Jason Smith, reaches out to catch a throw from catcher Miguel Ojeda as Philadelphia Phillies' Bobby Abreu slides safely into second base with a steal in the first inning of a baseball game in Denver on Sunday, April 16, 2006. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
AP | AP

DENVER ” In more than 11 seasons, a visiting team had never won 1-0 at Coors Field ” until Sunday.

Brett Myers combined with two relievers on a seven-hit shutout and Ryan Howard homered, leading the Philadelphia Phillies over the Colorado Rockies.

“This was a game for history,” Colorado manager Clint Hurdle said.



In 888 regular-season games at Coors Field, the only other 1-0 game was last July 9, when the Rockies beat San Diego. There have been four 2-0 games.

Myers (1-0) allowed seven hits in 7 2-3 innings, struck out five and walked one. He is 5-0 against the Rockies, including 4-0 with a 2.64 ERA in four starts at Coors, the home-run haven that opened in 1995.



“I just went out there and tried to throw strikes the best I could and let them put the ball in play,” Myers said. “It worked to my advantage today.”

Cory Sullivan reached on a bunt single with one out in the eighth, and Clint Barmes flied out. Arthur Rhodes relieved Myers and walked Todd Helton, then retired Garrett Atkins on a lineout to right. Tom Gordon pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save in as many chances.

“Actually, I thought their hitters worked him pretty good, and he handled it pretty good and stayed with them,” Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said of Myers. “I was wanting to stretch him out some and had him in gear.”

Aaron Cook (1-2) gave up six hits in eight innings and is winless in four starts against the Phillies.

“Cook pitched great today,” Myers said. “The way he was throwing and the way I felt, I knew it was going to come down to one pitch or one mistake.”

In the first two games of the series, the teams combined for 34 runs.

In this one, Howard hit his second homer of the season in the seventh inning, a 427-foot drive into the Philadelphia bullpen in center field.

“I just got a good pitch to hit, a fastball up in the zone, and fortunately it landed on the other side of the fence,” Howard said.

It was his first home run in 44 plate appearances for Howard, who hit a Phillies-record 11 during spring training.

“I got one pitch up to him,” Cook said. “I didn’t get the fastball in enough.”

Colorado had runners at the corners with one out in the fourth before Matt Holliday hit into his second double play of the game.

And both pitchers worked out of trouble in the sixth inning.

Cook gave up a leadoff single to Jimmy Rollins, who moved to third on a single by Aaron Rowand, who then was caught stealing. After Bobby Abreu walked, Cook got Pat Burrell to hit into a double play.

Helton had a two-out double in the sixth, and Atkins beat out an infield single for his third hit of the game. But Myers retired Holliday on a groundout.

“I’m not going to complain about the lack of runs,” Cook said. “I’ve been given seven or eight runs and lost those games.”


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