If the Padres fail to catch the Dodgers in the National League West, or should they slip in the wild-card race, they’ll no doubt mutter under their breath about those blankity-blank Rockies.
The Rockies beat San Diego again Sunday afternoon at Coors Field, winning 3-2 behind timely hits, great outfield defense, and a stellar start from rookie Bradley Blalock. The Rockies won the three-game series, halting the Padres’ streak of eight consecutive series victories.
Rookie closer Victor Vodnik shut down San Diego in the ninth for his ninth save and rookie right-hander Angel Chivilli pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings and got his first big-league win. Sum total: three rookie pitchers handled the Padres’ potent lineup.
“Three rookie pitchers, eight innings, against a team in contention that has been playing great the last three weeks on a hot Sunday afternoon in an offensive environment,” manager Bud Black said. “So great job. I’m proud of them.”
Colorado is tracking toward another 100-loss season, but it went 8-5 vs. the Padres this season. The Padres entered Sunday’s game having won 20 of their last 24 games.
Colorado center fielder Brenton Doyle’s leadoff triple off of reliever Bryan Hoeing ignited the Rockies’ game-clinching two-run sixth. With one out, San Diego intentionally walked the dangerous Michael Toglia, put runners on the corners, and pitched to slow-footed catcher Jacob Stallings.
The move backfired. Stallings punched a single to right, and when David Peralta bobbled the ball for an error, Toglia raced to third. Toglia scored on Sam Hilliard’s groundout to second for a 3-1 Colorado lead.
Manny Machado’s big swing cut the lead to 3-2 with a leadoff homer off Tyler Kinley in the eighth. Kinley left a hanging slider over the heart of the plate and Machado ripped it down the left-field line for his 19th homer.
Blalock has pitched like a cool veteran in his first two starts with the Rockies. And the rookie right-hander took a step forward on Sunday, matching Padres veteran Joe Musgrove. Blalock gave up one run over 5 2/3 innings on six hits and three walks while striking out two.
“It was definitely better than my first (start),” said Blalock, who pitched for the first time at Coors Field.
Blalock credited Stallings for steering him through the game.
“I went into the game knowing I had a vet behind the plate so I followed his game plan,” Blalock said. “He gave me a few pointers, just saying, ‘Stay in the zone and try to keep the ball down.’ ”
San Diego scratched out a run in the fourth on a single by Xander Bogaerts and an RBI double by Peralta.
In Blalock’s first major league start and Rockies debut on Monday at Arizona, he allowed three runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking one.
The rookie received a big assist from his outfield in the fifth. Kyle Higashioka led off with a hard line drive into the gap in right-center, but Doyle used his speed to cut off the ball and limit Higashioka to a single. Then Luis Arraez ripped a ball to right only to see Hilliard make an over-the-shoulder, running catch. Jordan Beck closed out the inning with a sliding catch in left.
“Defense in this park is so critical,” Black said. “If that ball falls (behind Hilliard), it’s second and third with no outs, and who knows what happens. This ballpark is one where there are many runs to be had, and if you can save as many as possible, it’s great. … You’ve got to save pitchers. This ballpark is extreme.”
Musgrove limited Colorado to one run on three hits over 4 1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked one. The Rockies got to Musgrove in the third on a leadoff single by Beck and a line-drive RBI double into the left-field corner by rookie Aaron Schunk, who started at short in place of Ezequiel Tovar. It was the first RBI of Schunk’s career and it came on a 12-pitch at-bat.
The Rockies are off on Monday before opening a three-game series in Washington on Tuesday.
Pitching probables
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (3-8, 4.82 ERA) at Nationals LHP DJ Herz (2-5, 4.25), 4:45 p.m.
Wednesday: Rockies RHP Tanner Gordon (0-4, 7.00) at Nationals LHP Mitchell Parker (6-7, 4.44), 4:45 p.m.
Thursday: Rockies RHP Cal Quantrill (8-8, 4.59) at Nationals LHP Patrick Corbin (2-12, 5.92), 11:05 a.m.
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