San Diego, CA – Mat Latos tossed seven strong innings to lead 2 win over the Colorado Rockies in the finale of a game series at Petco Park.
Latos (7-13) gave up two runs on five hits while striking out eight and issuing only one walk. Joe Thatcher finished off the Rockies in the clean-up role in the top of the ninth to seal the win for San Diego.
"My curveball was really good today and later on in the game my slider got a little sharper," Latos said. "I was throwing them both for strikes."
Will Venable hit a three-run triple, Jeremy Hermida collected two hits and three RBI and Jesus Guzman picked up three hits for the Padres, who snapped a nine-game skid.
"It feels good. We come to the ball park every day wanting to win," Venable said. "When you don't it doesn't feel good. It's nice after that stretch to come away with a win."
Aaron Cook (3-9) worked six innings in defeat, yielding three runs on four hits while walking four and striking out two.
Mark Ellis and Seth Smith each drove in a run for the Rockies, who took two of three in the series.
The Padres drew first blood in their first at-bat when Orlando Hudson drew a two-out walk and Guzman singled to left to put runners on the corners. Hudson then trotted home on a single by Hermida to give San Diego a one-run advantage.
The Padres took a 3-0 lead in the third inning when Hudson was plunked by Cook with two outs and Guzman ripped a double to center to put runners on second and third. Hermida then drove home both runners with a sharp single up the middle.
Colorado got two back in the next half-inning when Dexter Fowler led off the frame with a triple off the wall in center field and scurried home on a groundout by Ellis. Troy Tulowitzki walked and Jason Giambi singled to right before Smith knocked home Tulowitzki with a single to center to make it a one- run contest.
"He's driving the ball. He's hitting the ball hard," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said of Fowler's approach at the plate. "He had a very good series and had another very good day today. He created opportunities for us to score runs."
The Rockies had a fantastic opportunity to tie the game in the eighth inning. Fowler singled to begin the inning against Chad Qualls, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ellis and advanced to third on a groundout by Carlos Gonzalez. The Rockies wasted the chance, however, as Qualls got Tulowitzki to ground out to shortstop to preserve the lead.
San Diego broke the game open in the home half of the inning, plating four runs to make it a 7-2 contest. Guzman singled, Andy Perrino was intentionally walked and Nick Hundley was plunked by Matt Lindstrom to load the bases with two down. Cameron Maybin, who was pinch-running for Guzman, crossed the plate with the first run of the inning when pinch-hitter Alberto Gonzalez cued a slow grounder to second that couldn't be handled by Ellis, and Venable cleared the bases when he rocketed a fastball from Lindstrom into the right-center field gap for the final margin.
Game Notes
Prior to Sunday's game, the Padres recalled infielders James Darnell and Anthony Rizzo from Triple-A Tucson..Tulowitzki came into Sunday's action with 36 doubles, good for second-most in the National League this season...Colorado won the season series with San Diego by a 9-6 count...Despite taking the loss Sunday, Cook is 7-2 in 13 career starts at Petco Park.
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