1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
COL 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 4 0
SD 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 0
W: Morales (1-1, 4.82 ) L: Kennedy (2-3, 4.13) S: Hawkins (4)
During their west coast swing through San Francisco and San Diego, the Colorado Rockies had one glaring deficiency, the inability to hit with runners in scoring position. Thursday night at Petco Park the Rockies finally were able to get the hits when they needed them most. Combined with a solid pitching performance from starter Franklin Morales, the Rockies got a much needed road victory against the San Diego Padres, 3-2, to split their four game series.
Morales was recently moved to the bullpen after Tyler Chatwood came back from the disabled list. Fill-in starter Jordan Lyles impressed the Rockies so much with a couple of unexpectedly good starts that it was Morales who was moved out of the rotation to the bullpen. With Brett Anderson's broken index finger last Sunday in San Francisco creating a spot for Morales to fill, he stepped in and more than gave the Rockies what they needed.
"I have a job to do," Morales said. "I don't worry about where I pitch. I just want to do whatever I can to help my team win."
Morales (1-1, 4.82) threw 98 pitches (57 strikes) in six innings of work, giving up one run on four hits, striking out five and walking one. Morales threw a fastball-slider combination to keep the Padres hitters quiet for most of the night. The only damage coming in the fourth when Xavier Nady homered (3) to left on a 3-2 changeup from Morales.
"Franklin was huge. Getting through six was big for us," manager Walt Weiss said. "It's a tough situation when you're going back and forth between the 'pen and starting. But Frankie really embraced the opportunity to get another start. That was huge for us, really, really big. He fought the whole way through and got a big win for us."
The Rockies hitters started out as if they were intending to sleepwalk their way through the final game of the series. Against Padres starter Ian Kennedy, the Rockies were held hitless through five innings. Kennedy retired the first 12 Rockies he faced as he pounded the strike zone, striking out five during that stretch. Kennedy's no-hit bid ended in the sixth with a double that Nolan Arenado pulled down the third base line.
After trailing 1-0 through the first six innings, the frustrated Rockies bats came alive. Corey Dickerson, starting in left field in place of the scuffling Carlos Gonzales (.244), hit his first double of the year with one out in the seventh. Troy Tulowitzki then walked. Justin Morneau came to the plate and doubled (4) to right, scoring Dickerson with the tieing run.
With runners on second and third the Padres decided to keep their infield back. Wilin Rosario made them pay for that decision by hitting a slow enough bouncer to short that Tulowitzki was able to score, giving the Rockies a 2-1 lead.
"That's a tough call," Padres manager Bud Black said. "In hindsight, we probably should have brought them in."
The Rockies' scoring ended with Nolan Arenado hitting a RBI single to left, scoring Morneau to increase the lead to 3-1.
Kennedy (1-3, 4.13) ended the night throwing 99 pitches (74 strikes) in seven innings, giving up three runs on four hits, striking out seven and walking two.
Michael Cuddyer had to leave the game in the seventh inning after aggravating the hamstring in his left leg. After the game he sat in the clubhouse with his leg wrapped in ice. Cuddyer is listed as day to day.
Rex Brothers, who in his last two appearances gave up a walk-off home run to the Giants and coughed up the lead to the Padres without the benefit of a hit, pitched a scoreless seventh, striking out two.
Latroy Hawkins pitched the ninth inning and picked up his fourth save in four tries this season.
Post Game Brief:
The San Diego Padres have hit a NL low eight home runs this season.
Retired Rockies first baseman Todd Helton was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Thursday night at Sports Authority Field at MIle HIgh in Denver. Fellow University of Tennessee Alum and best friend Peyton Manning was in attendance.
Padres second baseman Everth Cabrera extended his hitting streak to nine games with a double in the second inning.
In the previous six games prior to Thursday's game against the Padres, all on the road,the Rockies were hitting .233 with runners in scoring position. They are hitting .356 at Coors Field.
Coming Up:
The Rockies go home on Friday to open a three game series at Coors Field against the Philadelphia Phillies. Probable pitchers are RHP Jonathan Pettibone (0-0) against RHP Tyler Chatwood (0-0).
The Padres stay at home with a weekend series against the San Francisco Giants. Probable pitchers are RHP Matt Cain (0-2) opposes Padres RHP Tyson Ross (1-2) on Friday night.