Baseball is a funny game. The Padres spent the first part of their week getting throttled by the Mariners and their owner. They have a chance to spend the last part of their week sweeping a division rival.
The Friars beat the Rockies 4-3 on Saturday night at Petco Park. There was a good vibe right from the first inning when Wil Myers, the second batter of the game, hit his 9th home run of the season to left-center field to put San Diego up 1-0.
Colorado took the lead right back in the top of the 2nd when Charlie Blackmon hit a 2-out double off starting pitcher Andrew Cashner to bring in a pair of runs. Cashner has had trouble getting back on track when things start heading south but he was able to right the ship on Saturday. Cash gave the up three runs in 5.2 innings to get his first win in a month (also against the Rockies).
It helped that his offense got him the lead right back. In the bottom of the 2nd Derek Norris ripped a 2-run homer to left, his 6th homer of the year. Norris and Myers combined to go 5-for-8 with a pair of homers, three RBI and two runs scored.
In the third inning Matt Kemp padded his team RBI lead with a single to bring in Jon Jay with what turned out to be the game-winning run.
After Cashner left the Padres bullpen, which has been less-than-stellar of late, came up big. Kevin Quackenbush, back from a stint at Triple-A El Paso, threw 1.1 innings with three punchouts. In the 8th inning Padres Manager Andy Green made good on his promise to make changes to the way he’s utilizing his bullpen.
Brandon Maurer allowed a single to Nick Hundley but struck out the next hitter. With Blackmon, a dangerous left-handed hitter, coming up Green went to the mound and pulled Maurer. In the past he likely would have let his 8th inning specialist try and finish up but this time he went to the closer.
Fernando Rodney got out of the inning then tossed a perfect 9th to get his 11th save of the season. Rodney still has not allowed an earned run in 2016.
The Padres can sweep the Rockies on Sunday behind … well, a whole lot of people. James Shields was the scheduled starter but since he’s now a member of the White Sox organization the Friars will go with Luis Perdomo, get as much out of him as they can, and start using up arms. It's the same process they used in Milwaukee in a win over the Brewers earlier this year.
Keep in mind the game starts at 6:10 because the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon will be run in San Diego on Sunday morning.
