The Rockies defeated the Padres 3-2 at Petco Park this afternoon.
Kyle Freeland started the game strong, retiring the first seven batters that he faced before allowing an infield single to Jabari Blash that Nolan Arenado almost made a phenomenal play on.
The Rockies scored the first run of the game in the second on three consecutive ground ball singles by Ian Desmond, Mark Reynolds and Alexi Amarista. Unfortunately they were unable to score any more runs after Reynolds was thrown out trying to advance to third on a ball that bounced away from the catcher.
The Rockies loaded the bases in the third inning with one out against Padres starter Luis Perdomo with a Charlie Blackmon single and walks by Arenado and Carlos Gonzalez. However, Perdomo managed to escape the threat with a great sinker that Desmond hit into an inning-ending double play.
Freeland gave up another single and a stolen base to Wil Myers in the fourth inning but stranded him at second with some solid pitching. In the fifth inning, Freeland struck out the side in order, recording his first three strikeouts of the game.
Perdomo left after six innings with the Padres trailing 1-0. The Padres bullpen quickly surrendered the second run of the game on a Ryan Hanigan home run.
After retiring Myers to start the seventh for his ninth batter in a row retired, Freeland gave up his first walk of the game. The Padres quickly cashed in the walk with an RBI double from Hunter Renfroe to make the score 2-1. Freeland then issued his second walk of the day before turning the game over to the bullpen.
Scott Oberg came in and struck out the one batter he faced on three pitches before Mike Dunn got the last out to keep the game 2-1.
The Padres threatened again in the bottom of the eighth after Adam Ottavino walked the bases loaded with one out. Jake McGee entered and got Yangervis Solarte to hit a soft one-hopper to Amarista that the Rockies were unable to turn into a double play, causing the tying run to score. McGee was able to get the final out of the inning without further damage, and the game headed to extra innings after both teams failed to score in the ninth.
The game was still knotted 2-2 in the eleventh, when the Rockies loaded the bases against reliever Brad Hand with a Story walk, a Reynolds single, and an Amarista walk after an excellent at-bat in which he spoiled multiple pitches after falling behind 0-2 in the count. Hanigan then drove in the go-ahead run with an infield grounder that the Padres weren’t able to turn into an out.
Greg Holland entered the game in the bottom of the eleventh and recorded his league-leading twelfth save, improving the Rockies to 9-0 in one-run games. They remain in first place as they return to Denver tomorrow to start a 10-game homestand that begins with a series against the second-place Diamondbacks.