Denver, CO – Dexter Fowler hit the game-winning single in the bottom of the 10th inning and the Colorado Rockies split a four-game series against the San Diego Padres with an 8-7 win on Sunday.
With Tyson Ross (0-3) pitching for San Diego, Todd Helton walked to lead off the inning. After Yorvit Torrealba bunted out, Jonathan Herrera singled to right. Joe Thatcher came in to replace Ross. DJ LeMahieu pinch-ran for Helton and advanced to third when Tyler Colvin grounded into a fielder's choice. Fowler then connected on a 1-1 pitch to end the game.
Rex Brothers (2-0) allowed one hit in the top of the 10th inning to pick up the win.
Carlos Gonzalez drove in three runs and Troy Tulowitzki had a two-run homer for the Rockies, who saw starter Juan Nicasio allow two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out seven over six frames.
"It's as good as I've seen Juan this year. He was at the bottom of the zone, his good fastball, and he was up to I think 95 or 96," said Rockies manager Walt Weiss. "Threw some good changeups today and then the slider, all three were working for him. Just that sixth inning they got some balls up, it looked like."
Mark Kotsay had a two-run home run while Nick Hundley and Cameron Maybin each hit a solo shot for the Padres. Starter Clayton Richard gave up four runs on eight hits and a walk in six innings.
Fowler singled to lead off the home half of the first, setting up Tulowitzki's two-run shot three batters later.
In the third, Fowler opened up the inning by ripping a double to right and scored on a groundout by Gonzalez. After Tulowitzki drew a walk, Nolan Arenado delivered an RBI triple.
Nicasio was perfect through the first 5 1/3 innings before finally making a mistake and giving up a home run to Hundley. Richard, Everth Cabrera and Alexi Amarista connected on three straight singles, the last of which scored Richard. Cabrera stole third and Kyle Blanks drew a walk to load the bases.
The next batter, Will Venable, hammered a shot to left, but Gonzalez grabbed the ball as he collided with the wall to end the inning and stop the rally.
However, the Padres took the lead in the seventh. Maybin's solo shot off Edgmer Escalona cut the deficit to one. Following a Hundley single, Kotsay, pinch-hitting for Richard, smashed a 2-1 pitch over the center field wall.
San Diego added two more runs in the eighth. Blanks hit a one-out infield single and scored on a triple by Venable and Chris Denorfia drove in Venable with a run-scoring single.
Luke Gregerson came out in the ninth for the Padres. Herrera singled to left with one out, reached second on a fielder's indifference and scored on a single by pinch-hitting Colvin. Fowler delivered a single to center and stole second base. Two batters later, Gonzalez took an 0-2 pitch and knocked a double to right, plating Colvin and Fowler.
Tulowitzki was intentionally walked and Gregerson was replaced by Ross, who got Arenado to fly out to right, sending the game into extra innings.
"That was probably one blip on the radar for him," Padres manager Bud Black said of Gregerson.
Game Notes
Fowler went 4-for-6 and scored three times ... Brothers has thrown 25 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings, second-most in the majors ... Cabrera is on a 10-game hitting streak ... The Rockies were 4-for-14 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base.
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