Field Level Media
Jul 10, 2021
Miguel Diaz and three other San Diego relievers held the visiting Colorado Rockies scoreless on one hit over the final 5 1/3 innings Friday night as the Padres scored a 4-2 victory.
Wil Myers capped a two-run sixth with a tiebreaking double that put the Padres on top for good in the opener of a three-game series.
Rockies starter Kyle Freeland (1-3) was protecting a 2-1 lead when Jake Cronenworth opened the sixth with a single. Cronenworth moved to third on a double by Manny Machado. Freeland was then forced out of the game with a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand.
Trent Grisham greeted reliever Tyler Kinley with a groundout to the right side that got Cronenworth home with the tying run. Myers then lined a two-out double to left center.
The Padres added a run in the seventh when Tommy Pham singled with one out, moved to second on a passed ball and scored on Machado's two-out single.
Diaz (3-1) allowed one hit and no walks while striking out three in 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of emergency starter Reiss Knehr. Mark Melancon picked up his major-league-leading 27th save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
Earlier Friday, the Padres promoted Knehr from Double-A San Antonio to make his major league debut after placing scheduled starter Blake Snell on the injured list due to a stomach issue. Knehr gave up two runs on three hits and four walks with three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.
Trevor Story doubled to lead off the second and Knehr walked the next three Rockies to force in the game's first run.
Colorado's Chris Owings drew a walk with two outs in the fourth and scored on Freeland's double off the glove of left fielder Pham.
The Padres scored their first run off Freeland in the bottom of the fourth. Cronenworth opened the inning with his 20th double of the season and scored on a one-out Grisham single.
Freeland gave up three runs on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts in five-plus innings.
--Field Level Media