Moyer becomes oldest pitcher to win game

Jamie Moyer turned in a vintage performance in becoming the oldest pitcher to win a major league game.

The 49-year-old Moyer threw seven masterful innings and Dexter Fowler hit a two-run homer, helping the Colorado Rockies hold on for a 5-3 win over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night at Denver.

Moyer (1-2) was sharp all evening as he picked up his 268th career win, tying him with Hall of Famer Jim Palmer for 34th on the career list.

Relying on a consistent cutter and mixing in a 78-mph fastball, the cunning lefty gave up just six hits and two runs – both unearned – as he kept the Padres’ hitters at bay and off balance.

That’s been a winning recipe for Moyer over a career that’s stretched nearly a quarter century and included 689 games.

Before Moyer’s gem, the oldest pitcher to win a game in the majors was Jack Quinn of the Brooklyn Dodgers on Sept. 13, 1932, when he was 49 years, 70 days old.

About the only blemish to the night were two more errors by smooth-fielding shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, giving him six already this season. The Gold Glove winner had six all of last year.

Guillen returns

Ozzie Guillen emerged from the clubhouse tunnel three hours before game time, saw the horde of media waiting for him in the dugout and uttered an expletive in surprise.

He’s back.

Returning from a five-game suspension imposed after he praised Fidel Castro, Guillen rejoined the team for Tuesday’s 5-2 victory over the visiting Chicago Cubs.

“I feel great,” said Guillen, seated in the dugout and facing about 50 reporters and cameramen three hours before the first pitch. “It’s nice to come back and do what I love to do.”

Clearing the bases

Minnesota Twins pitcher Scott Baker had elbow-ligament replacement surgery. The 2011 opening day starter will miss the entire season … Johnny Damon, the 38-year-old outfielder, signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians. He expects to join the major league team in about a week. … The Indians also placed All-Star shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera on the bereavement list following a family death in Venezuela. He must sit out at least three days.