Jamie Moyer never too old to pitch it right

DENVER // Jamie Moyer is heading to the baseball Hall of Fame. Well, his uniform anyway. Or maybe his glove.

The hall has asked for some sort of memorabilia from Moyer to commemorate his record-setting night as the 49-year-old left-hander became the oldest pitcher to ever win a Major League Baseball contest.

And whatever the hall decides it wants, Moyer said he will certainly deliver after throwing seven efficient innings to help the Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 5-3 on Tuesday.

"To have your name mentioned with great players of the past or Hall of Fame players, it's pretty special," Moyer said.

Moyer was effective all evening as he picked up his 268th career win, tying him with the Hall of Famer Jim Palmer for 34th on the career list. Moyer gave up just six hits and two runs - both unearned - as he kept the Padres hitters off balance and guessing.

"Today, for me, just like it's been my previous two starts - going out and trying to give my best effort," Moyer said.

That is a tried and true formula for success, one that has worked well for Moyer over a career that has stretched nearly a quarter of a century and included 689 games.

Moyer earned that elusive win for the ages in his third start of the season.

He is 49 years, 150 days old.

That is important to note since before Moyer's effort the oldest pitcher to win a game in the majors was Jack Quinn of the Brooklyn Dodgers on September 13, 1932, when he was 49 years, 70 days old.

Moyer doesn't know much about Quinn. He wishes he did, though.

"As players, we should know more about the game, the history of the game," Moyer said. "You need to respect the game and the people that came before you."

With streaks of grey in his hair, Moyer looks like a player who will turn 50 in November. But once he steps on the mound that youthful exuberance returns. On Tuesday, he looked more like a spry rookie than a veteran nearing retirement.

"It's a great night for the Rockies, as far as winning a baseball game. But it's a historic night for one tremendous human being," Jim Tracy, the Rockies manager, said. "It couldn't happen to a better guy. A more professional person I don't know I've been around."

* Associated Press