Turning point: The first batter Jason Hammel faced, Adam Kennedy, drilled the ball right at the Rockies starting pitcher’s head. The ball looked like a sure base hit, but Hammel stuck up his glove in self defense and somehow caught the baseball. At that moment, it was clear the game was going to go Hammel’s way. Hammel dominated for seven innings and would have had an even better line had Joel Peralta not walked in Hammel’s second earned run.

At the plate: Garrett Atkins had one of his best games of the season, going 3-for-4 with 2 RBI. His first hit — a first-inning double — drove in the game’s first run. Later, his fifth-inning single added the Rockies’ fourth run to give Jason Hammel some breathing room. It was his second consecutive three-hit game . . . Todd Helton drove in two big runs in the fifth inning with a soft groundball down the third base line that scooted past a shifted Jack Hannahan . . . Dexter Fowler and Ryan Spilborghs scored three of the Rockies’ four runs without a base hit of their own between them . . . Clint Barmes busted out of an 0-for-15 slump with two singles . . . Former Rockie Matt Holliday had the first two hits of the game off Jason Hammel, both doubles.

On the mound: Jason Hammel, pitched the longest outing of his career, going 7 1/3 innings and alllowing four hits, two walks and striking out 5. Hammel, who has won his past five decisions, was chased in the eighth inning after walking Jack Hannahan . . . Randy Flores faced two batters. He struck out the first batter and the second, Jack Cust, drilled a ball of Flores’ back and into center field . . . Joel Peralta faced three batters, walking two, including a bases-loaded walk to Jason Giambi. But he got Kurt Suzuki to pop out to Todd Helton to end the eighth inning . . . Huston Street pitched the ninth against his former team for his 17th save.

Numbers game: 12 hits for Atkins in his past 24 at-bats against left-handed starters.