Last Night's Action: Rarefied Air

Washington Nationals' Nyjer Morgan, left, steals second base as Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki drops the throw in the third inning of a baseball game in Denver on Monday, July 6, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Rockies 1, Nationals 0: Manny Acta's men traveled west to the run factory known as Coors Field and look what broke out: a pitchers' duel. The two teams played the full nine in a tidy two hours and twelve minutes and Colorado starter Jason Marquis (11-5) was outstanding, retaking the major league lead in wins by nursing a delicate one-run lead all night with immaculate movement and command. The Nats kept it close with three timely double plays and with some fine defensive play by first baseman Nick Johnson, but this game was disappointingly lost at the plate. In the top of the seventh, a deep Adam Dunn double and two base hits loaded the bases with one out, but Ronnie Belliard hit into an inning-ending double play. In the next inning, singles by Nyjer Morgan and Johnson and an intentional walk to Dunn again juiced the sacks for the Nats, but Josh Willingham flied out harmlessly to deep right. Rockies closer Huston Street logged a one-two-three inning in the ninth, earning his 20th save of the season. Washington righty Craig Stammen (1-4) took the incredibly hard-luck loss, even though he allowed only one run -- none after the first -- on five hits in seven incredibly solid innings. It was only the eighth 1-0 game in Coors Field's fifteen-year history.