Jason Hammel works into the 8th, drives in run with bunt, as Rockies beat Brewers 2-0

Hammel leads Rockies to win over Brewers

DENVER — Jason Hammel pitched 7 1-3 sharp innings and brought in a run with a squeeze bunt, lifting the injury-riddled Colorado Rockies to a 2-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.

The right-hander ran his streak of scoreless innings to a career-best 25 1-3, proving to be a nice complement to Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez.

Hammel (5-3) also contributed offensively in the absence of Troy Tulowitzki, who will be out for about six weeks after breaking his left wrist when he was hit by a pitch in Minnesota on Thursday. Hammel finished 1 for 2 with a double and a well-placed squeeze bunt in the second for just his second career RBI.

Hammel is now 5-1 since returning from a strained right groin on May 15. He’s also drawn the task of following Jimenez in the rotation, an assignment he’s more than adequately filled.

And that’s not an easy act to follow. Jimenez won his major-league leading 13th game against the Twins on Thursday, lowering his ERA to a minuscule 1.15.

Hammel was pulled after giving up a one-out single to Ryan Braun in the eighth, the crowd giving him a robust round of applause as he exited.

Prince Fielder then followed with a double off Joe Beimel, putting runners on second and third.

Rafael Betancourt was summoned in from the bullpen, getting Casey McGehee to pop out and then striking out Jonathan Lucroy on a 94-mph fastball.

Manuel Corpas pitched the ninth for his ninth save in 11 chances.

Milwaukee lefty Manny Parra (1-5) had a solid outing, surrendering two runs and six hits in six innings. This was Parra’s 22nd appearance of the season, most coming as a reliever.

Brewers manager Ken Macha was ejected in the fourth for arguing a call with first base umpire Larry Vanover, who originally called Carlos Gomez safe after he avoided Todd Helton’s tag on a sacrifice bunt down the line.

Rockies manager Jim Tracy argued the call and the crew huddled before changing the ruling.

The mild-mannered Macha marched out, spoke his mind and was tossed out for the first time since he took over the Brewers on Oct. 30, 2008.

Hammel helped his cause by laying down a suicide squeeze in the second inning with Ian Stewart breaking from third base. Hammel even had to jump out of the way from Parra’s inside pitch, yet still got it in play.

The Rockies may need to scratch for runs by any means necessary with Tulowitzki’s bat out of the lineup.

Tulowitzki was placed on the 15-day disabled Friday and Colorado recalled infielder Chris Nelson from Triple-A Colorado Springs to fill his place on the roster.

Ryan Spilborghs helped get the Rockies on the board early by hitting two-out single in the first that just squeaked under the glove of McGehee. Brad Hawpe then followed with an RBI double to left field, Spilborghs eluding the tag of Lucroy with a nifty feet-first slide into the plate.

The Brewers couldn’t capitalize in the first inning when Hammel got off to a rocky start, allowing leadoff singles to Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart. Hammel then issued a one-out walk to Prince Fielder.

But Hammel wiggled off the hook by getting McGehee to foul out and Lucroy to hit a routine fly to right.

Notes: Rockies RHP Huston Street (shoulder inflammation) will be on the mound for four outs Saturday in Triple-A Colorado Springs. If everything goes well, Street will be re-evaluated Sunday and the team will discuss reinstating him. … Macha said before the game there was still a chance Brewers RHP Todd Coffey (bruised thumb) could be reinstated from the 15-day DL sometime over the weekend. … Rockies OF Carlos Gonzalez (bruised left knee) sat out Friday, but could be back in some capacity as soon as Saturday.