Major League Baseball
Rockies 11, Padres 2
Major League Baseball

Rockies 11, Padres 2

Published Mar. 13, 2012 1:54 a.m. ET

Jeremy Guthrie has already dealt with the challenge of pitching against powerful AL East foes when he played for the Baltimore Orioles.

Now he is faced with figuring out the National League and hitter-friendly Coors Field.

The right-hander, who was traded to the Rockies in February after being with Baltimore from 2007-11, pitched four solid innings on Monday in Colorado's 11-2 win over the San Diego Padres.

Guthrie will worry about his new home ballpark when he gets there, but for now he is just concentrating on getting hitters out in spring training.

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After allowing a leadoff home run to Cameron Maybin in the first inning, Guthrie settled down. He gave up two hits, didn't walk a batter, and struck out three of the 14 hitters he faced.

Guthrie said he didn't have his focus in his first spring outing last Wednesday, when he gave up two runs and five hits in three innings against San Francisco.

He threw 41 pitches on Monday, 10 more than his previous appearance, and mixed in his offspeed pitches with more efficiency. Guthrie targeted 15 changeups and threw 12.

''I've never done that in a spring game before,'' he said. ''I want to continue to do that, mix in the offspeed stuff and locate my fastball, focus on executing.''

Guthrie, who will turn 33 on April 8, said he will have to ''do plenty of homework'' before the regular season. That would include studying video and going over hitters' tendencies with shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who pretty much knows them all.

Guthrie has a good chance to be the Rockies' starter on opening day. He got the season-opening nod for Baltimore in three of the past four seasons.

Colorado scored eight runs in the seventh inning to break open a tight game. Rockies catcher Willin Rosario hit a three-run homer and drove in the Rockies' second run in the sixth inning with a sharp single.

The Rockies got another encouraging effort from third baseman Brandon Wood, a No. 1 draft pick by the Angels in 2003, who struggled in the American League and during a brief stop in Pittsburgh last season.

Wood was a last-minute replacement for Casey Blake, who was scratched with neck stiffness. It is uncertain whether it is related to neck surgery he had in September. Wood had a single and a run-scoring triple, and is hitting. 438.

He feels good about his chances of making the team as a utility player. Wood has played everywhere in the infield, and a couple of innings in left field.

''There's a lot more double-switching in the National League and I think that would help me,'' Wood said. ''But there are a lot of guys on this team capable of playing more than one position. I want to master them all.''

Maybin also had a double, an encouraging sign after he went hitless in his first 12 at-bats. The Padres' MVP last season recently signed a five-year, $25 million contract.

Left-hander Cory Luebke made his second start of the spring for the Padres and pitched three more shutout innings to go with the two scoreless innings his first time out against Cincinnati last week. He gave up one hit, walked one and struck out two.

NOTES: Left fielder Carlos Quentin had two hits for the Padres, raising his average to .500 (6 for 12). ... The Padres reassigned catchers Al Solis and Eddy Rodriguez, infielder Cory Spangenberg, and right-handers Cory Burns and Jorge Reyes to their minor league camp. ... Rockies right fielder Michael Cuddyer had a hit, raising his average to .385.

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