DENVER — When Jason Marquis got in a jam, he kept his cool.

The first-time All-Star worked his way out of trouble in the late innings to pick up his major league-leading 11th victory and the Colorado Rockies beat the Washington Nationals 1-0 last night.

"In the past, I was so worried about guys not scoring — trying to make perfect pitches, and trying to get three outs with one pitch," said Marquis, who extended his scoreless-innings streak to 17. "This year, I told myself to bear down and focus on the hitter, not let it get out of hand."

It was the eighth 1-0 game in Coors Field history, the only run produced by Todd Helton's RBI double in the first inning.

Who could have figured that run would hold up?

"You never know what to expect," Marquis said, laughing. "I'm glad they got a run on the board early, makes our job a little bit easier."

Marquis was effective early and resourceful late, pitching out of bases-loaded jams in the seventh and eighth innings.

Marquis (11-5), who allowed seven hits and struck out three, was coming off a two-hit shutout at Los Angeles on June 30.

Huston Street threw a perfect ninth for his 20th save in 21 chances.

Rookie Craig Stammen (1-4) went a season-high seven innings, giving up five hits and the one run.

A sinkerball pitcher like Marquis, Stammen said he aspires to similar results.

"He's a guy I need to be like in the future, take my team deep in ball games," Stammen said. "He's an All-Star and he got rewarded that for a reason."

With two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth, Marquis got Josh Willingham to fly out to right.

In the seventh, he faced an even stickier situation after Adam Dunn led off with a double and Willingham followed with a single, advancing Dunn to third. Cristian Guzman hit a high comebacker to Marquis, who plucked it out of the air and picked off Dunn at third after he lurched too far down the line.

Josh Bard then singled to right, but third base coach Pat Listach held up Willingham, loading the bases.

Marquis made his best pitch of the game to Ronnie Belliard, who grounded into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

"Slider, down and away," Marquis said. "I was able to make a quality pitch."

CUBS 4, BRAVES 2:

Rookie Randy Wells (4-3) gave up seven hits and two runs in six innings to win his fourth straight start, and Derrek Lee homered as host Chicago beat Atlanta to win for the sixth time in eight games.

Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez returned to the lineup after missing two months with a dislocated left shoulder. He went 0 for 4.

ASTROS 4, PIRATES 1:

Mike Hampton (5-5) allowed one run and three hits in seven innings, and Miguel Tejada and Geoff Blum drove in two runs each as host Houston beat Pittsburgh.

Hampton improved to 14-3 with a 2.20 ERA in 20 career starts against Pittsburgh dating to 1995. He has won 10 consecutive starts against the Pirates.

DIAMONDBACKS 6, PADRES 5:

Mark Reynolds singled home Justin Upton with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as host Arizona beat San Diego.

Upton drew a two-out walk from Cla Meredith (4-2) and stole second before Reynolds lined a single into the left-field corner.

GIANTS 5, MARLINS 4:

Pablo Sandoval hit his first career grand slam to help San Francisco's Matt Cain earn his 10th victory by beating visiting Florida.

Sandoval's 13th homer came off Sean West (3-3) in the fifth inning. Cain (10-2) struck out five and walked two in 6 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run and five hits.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

MARINERS 5, ORIOLES 0:

Jarrod Washburn tossed a one-hitter for his ninth career complete game, leading host Seattle over Baltimore.

Nick Markakis had the only hit off Washburn (4-5), a two-out single in the fourth.

Washburn faced just one batter over the minimum, issuing no walks and striking out three in his 110-pitch effort. Russell Branyan hit his 21st homer, Chris Woodward doubled in two runs and Ichiro Suzuki had an RBI single for Seattle.

ANGELS 9, RANGERS 4:

Jeff Mathis hit a go-ahead three-run homer, Torii Hunter and Juan Rivera added two-run singles, and host Los Angeles spoiled the return of Josh Hamilton to the Texas lineup.

The teams entered the game tied for first place in the AL West.

Hamilton, an All-Star starter, was 2 for 4 with a double and two strikeouts, after spending the previous 30 games on the disabled list after undergoing abdominal surgery.

ATHLETICS 6, RED SOX 0:

Rookie Brett Anderson threw a two-hitter, Oakland's first complete game since last July 8, and outpitched 21-year veteran John Smoltz (0-2) in a win over host Boston.

Anderson (5-7) struck out a career-high nine, walked two and ended Oakland's 151-game stretch without a complete game. Smoltz gave up five runs in six innings.

ROYALS 4, TIGERS 3:

Mike Jacobs hit a go-ahead solo homer in the ninth and closer Joakim Soria held on as Kansas City beat host Detroit.

Jacobs broke the tie with a shot to right off Fernando Rodney (0-2), while Soria earned his 13th save.

BLUE JAYS 7, YANKEES 6:

Ricky Romero extended his scoreless streak to 24 innings before Eric Hinske homered in his Yankees debut in the fifth, and visiting Toronto avoided getting swept in a four-game series.

Alex Rios hit a three-run homer in the third off Andy Pettitte (8-4), and Scott Rolen extended his career-best hitting streak to 23 games with a two-run double in the seventh. Romero (7-3) allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.