Ubaldo Jimenez Throws No Hitter for Colorado Rockies

            Ubaldo Jimenez, Jr. made Colorado Rockies history today, April 17, 2010, by pitching the first no hitter in the 18 year history of the Rockies.  Jimenez did not have perfect command walking six batters in the first 5 innings.  But his fast ball, at times hitting 100 mph and staying in the upper 90 in the final inning, was enough to keep the Atlanta Braves batters from making decent contact all night long.  The biggest treat to Jimenez’s no hit bid came in the 7^th inning when Troy Glaus smashed at liner to left center.  Dexter Fowler, who is an Atlanta native, made a spectacular diving catch to keep the no no in tact.  The television cameras panned back to Ubaldo mouthing a “Wow” as he saw Dexter making the catch. 

            In the final inning at Turner Field, Jimenez would have to face Martin Prado, Chipper Jones, and Brian McCann.  On the first pitch Prado looked at a called strike.  The second and third pitches missed the zone for a count of 2-1.  Prado then hit an easy pop up to second baseman Clint Barmes for out one.  Ubaldo threw two balls before getting Chipper Jones to swing at a pitch which he fouled off.  On the next pitch Chipper hit an easy fly to left field for out number two.  With the fans standing and the Braves last hope to break up the no hitter, Brian McCann came to bat.  The first pitch was a strike that McCann watched.  He fouled the next pitch.  And the next,  And the next.  Ubaldo then bounced a ball in front of home plate.  Then on the 128^th pitch, Brian McCann hit a grounder between first and second.  Barmes fielded the ball and threw to Todd Helton at first for the final out to complete the historical moment for Ubaldo Jimenez and the Rockies.  Helton was the first to greet 26 year old Jimenez as the rest of the team came running in for the celebration of the no run, no hit, no error game which the Rockies won 4-0.  Jimenez is 3-0 for the year.

           

Brief Bio of Ubaldo Jimenez

Ubaldo was born in Nagua, Dominican Republic on January 22, 1984 to Ubaldo, Sr. and Ramona Jimenez.  The New York Mets wanted to sign Ubaldo when he was just 16 years old, but his parents wanted him to finish high school, so he turn down $20,000 to get him to sign.  He thought about becoming a doctor, but with an arm that could blow away batters, the Rockies came calling.  The Rockies signed him in 2001 when he was 17, with the agreement he could finish high school.  He played in the Dominican Summer League that year.  He began his professional career in the United States in 2002 in Casper, Wyoming playing for the Casper Rockies Rookie team (now called the Casper Ghosts) and went 3-4 in 14 starts.