Field Level Media
Apr 9, 2018
Left-hander Clayton Richard hit a three-run homer to help post his first win of the season and Padres relievers Craig Stammen and Brad Hand retired nine straight Rockies to protect a one-run lead Monday night as San Diego defeated Colorado 7-6 in Denver.
Back-to-back two-out homers by Richard and second baseman Carlos Asuaje in the fourth boosted the Padres to a 6-1 lead. Jose Pirela doubled home Eric Hosmer with the Padres' final run in the fifth.
The Rockies narrowed the gap on Chris Iannetta's three-run homer off Richard in the fourth and Carlos Gonzalez's disputed two-run homer off Padres reliever Jordan Lyles in the sixth.
Left fielder Cory Spangenberg apparently had Gonzalez's drive in his glove when a fan reached out and hit the glove. The ball remained in the glove afterward but fell into the stands when the glove hit the fence. An appeal of the home run call by the Padres was denied.
Richard (1-1) got credit for the win despite allowing four runs on five hits, including Iannetta's homer, with three walks and three strikeouts in five innings.
Stammen entered the game with runners on first and second with no one out in the seventh and prevented the tying run from scoring. He retired all six hitters he faced. Hand struck out the side in the ninth to record his third save.
Pirela and catcher Austin Hedges had three hits and one RBI apiece for the Padres.
Rockies right-handed starter Jon Gray (1-2), who shut out the Padres on four hits over seven innings at Petco Park last Wednesday, surrendered seven runs on 10 hits and a walk and struck out six in five innings Monday night to suffer the loss.
Six of the Padres' seven runs scored came with two outs and four came on the homers by Richard and Asuaje.
With no one on and two out in the fourth, Freddy Galvis tripled for the Padres and scored on a Hedges double.
After Manuel Margot was walked intentionally, Richard drove a Gray fastball 418 feet into the second deck in right. It was the third homer of the pitcher's career.
--Field Level Media