Field Level Media
Apr 5, 2018
Colorado struck for five runs in the first two innings, and right-hander Jon Gray blanked San Diego on four hits over seven innings as the Rockies defeated the host Padres 5-2 on Wednesday at Petco Park.
Gray, who is 5-2 with a 2.15 ERA in 11 career starts against the Padres, was masterful while evening his season record at 1-1. He struck out seven without issuing a walk.
Rockies closer Wade Davis pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his third save.
Padres starter Clayton Richard (0-1) gave up five runs on seven hits in the first two innings.
Three of the first four hitters in the Colorado lineup got hits in the first. Four consecutive batters reached base in the second after Richard retired the first two hitters in the inning on comebackers.
Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu opened the game with back-to-back singles, and Blackmon scored on Nolan Arenado's double. Arenado is now 11-for-17 lifetime against Richard with six RBIs. Trevor Story followed with a shattered-bat, two-run, ground-rule double down the line in left.
The first inning has been particularly troublesome for the 1-5 Padres. Opponents have scored seven runs in the first inning in the season's first six games. The opposition has scored first against San Diego in five of the games.
The top of the order tortured Richard again in the second. Blackmon and LeMahieu started the two-out rally with back-to-back singles. After a wild pitch moved the runners along, Richard intentionally walked personal nemesis Arenado only to have Ian Desmond hit a sharp two-run single to left.
Richard, who had a 6.75 ERA in four starts against the Rockies last season, wound up allowing five runs on eight hits and three walks with six strikeouts in five innings.
Cory Spangenberg got the first two San Diego hits, a single in the second inning and a double in the fifth.
The Padres scored twice in the bottom of the eighth on an error and an RBI single by Hunter Renfroe.
Blackmon and LeMahieu each had two singles for the Rockies, who had only two hits and four baserunners from the third inning on.
--Field Level Media