The Colorado Rockies used a five-run third inning and a good outing from Germán Márquez to win the series opener against the Padres at Coors Field, 9-6.
Charlie Blackmon put the Rockies on the board leading off the first inning with his 22nd home run, and fourth leadoff homer, of the season. A blast that traveled 451 feet and hit the facade of the third deck in right field.
The Padres answered in the top of the second with an even bigger home run, as Jabari Blash’s two-run homer against Márquez went 477 feet to center, giving San Diego a 2-1 lead.
Trevor Story’s RBI single tied the game at two in the second before the Rockies blew things open in the third. Padres starter Luis Perdomo walked in a pair of runs before Story’s double chased him from the game with a 6-2 deficit. Reliever Craig Stammen gave up an RBI single to Márquez for the Rockies’ fifth run of the inning before ending the frame.
Márquez and the Padres bullpen held the score at 7-2 for the next three innings, but each team tallied a run in the seventh, with the Padres getting an RBI single from Carlos Asuaje and the Rockies scoring on a solo home run from Gerardo Parra.
The Padres scored three runs and threatened for more in an eighth inning that saw the Rockies utilize four different relievers, but Mike Dunn got Asuaje to fly out with two on to end the inning with the Rockies holding an 8-6 lead.
A DJ LeMahieu sacrifice fly got the Rockies an insurance run for Greg Holland, who didn’t need it, pitching a scoreless ninth for his 29th save of the season.
The Rockies will look to get their third straight win, and a series win, tomorrow as Antonio Senzatela takes the mound against Dinelson Lamet. First pitch is at 6:40 Mountain time.