Rockies rout Padres 16-0, gain ground in Wild Card race (Sep 16, 2017)
DENVER (AP) Tyler Anderson pitched six innings in his first start since returning from left knee surgery, Charlie Blackmon set an NL season record for RBIs by a leadoff man, and the Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 16-0 on Saturday night in a game marred by a near brawl.
Blackmon homered and doubled to drive in four runs, pushing his season RBI total from the leadoff position to 92 and surpassing Craig Biggio, who had 88 in 1998.
Pat Valaika had a pinch-hit grand slam during a six-run seventh and Carlos Gonzalez also homered for the Rockies, who stretched their lead for the second NL Wild Card berth to 3 1/2 games over Milwaukee, which lost to Miami 7-4 earlier Saturday. Colorado has won eight of its last 10 games and extended its winning streak against San Diego to seven.
The Padres lost their fifth straight overall, matching a season high, and also lost first baseman Wil Myers to a right leg bruise. He left the game after striking out in the sixth. He fouled a pitch off his knee for the second strike and was clearly in pain, limping and struggling to put weight on the leg. He stood back in after several minutes and took a called third strike.
Immediately after giving up Blackmon's three-run drive in the sixth for a 10-0 Colorado lead, reliever Miguel Diaz plunked DJ LeMahieu in the back, triggering an angry exchange as LeMahieu was restrained from heading to the mound. Players from both dugouts and bullpens streamed onto the field but no punches were thrown, and calm prevailed after Diaz was ejected.
Anderson, who underwent arthroscopic surgery July 3 and had been sidelined since early June, was reinstated from the disabled list last week and pitched four innings of scoreless relief Monday at Arizona.
Against San Diego, he did not give up a hit until Manuel Margot beat out an infield single with two outs in the sixth. Carlos Asuaje followed with a clean single to right before Anderson (5-5) fanned Myers. He walked two and struck out three and gave up two hits. Kyle Freeland and Jeff Hoffman teamed up to pitch the last three innings, allowing one hit.
Leading 5-0, the Rockies extended their lead in the fifth when Gonzalez drove a 1-0 pitch from Jordan Lyles (1-3) into the second deck in right field. LeMahieu walked ahead of the homer by Gonzalez, his 13th of the season.
The Rockies batted around in a five-run third against Lyles, a former Rockie who was picked up by the Padres after being designated for assignment by Colorado in late July.
Blackmon's double drove in the first run of the inning, LeMahieu and Nolan Arenado added RBI hits and Trevor Story capped the outburst with a two-out, two-run single.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: OF Jose Pirela remains day to day because of a jammed pinkie. He has missed the past four starts with his lone appearance in that span coming Wednesday against Minnesota as a pinch runner in which he was thrown out trying to steal.
Rockies: RHP Chad Bettis, who didn't get out of the first inning in his last start, is having his next turn skipped in the rotation. Bettis, who returned this season after successfully battling testicular cancer, has struggled in recent outings, going 1-3 with a 9.15 ERA over his previous five starts.
UP NEXT
Padres: RHP Jhoulys Chacin (12-10, 4.05 ERA), also a former Rockie, is slated to start the series finale at Coors Field, where he has gone 23-23 in 68 career starts.
Rockies: RHP Jon Gray (8-4, 3.95 ERA) has won four of his six starts at home this season, posting a 3.34 ERA at Coors Field.
