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 Yangervis Solarte hit a decisive two-run, seventh-inning homer,
and three Padres relievers retired all 12 Rockies they faced in San
Diego's 4-3 win over Colorado at Petco Park.
Right-handers Nick Vincent (two innings), Kevin Quackenbush and
Joaquin Benoit combined for nine strikeouts -- including seven
straight to end the game -- as the Padres (55-62) moved within seven
games of .500 for the first time since June 8.
"This just shows the fire we've got, we've got a lot of energy,"
Vincent said of the Padres, who improved to a National League-best
14-8 since the All-Star break. "As for the bullpen, we want to go
out there and strike everyone out."
Which the Padres almost did. Vincent (1-2) fanned three in his two
perfect innings and ended the top of the seventh with a strikeout.
Quackenbush and Benoit (save No. 6) each used 14 pitches to strike
out the side in the eighth and ninth, respectively.
Solarte, meanwhile, erased a 3-2 Rockies lead with his third homer
in 18 games since coming in the July 22 trade that sent third
baseman Chase Headley to the New York Yankees. Solarte is hitting
.296 with 11 RBIs for the Padres.
"This is really nice, important," Solarte said. "I am very happy
here. The weather, everything is perfect."
The Rockies (46-72) entered the bottom of the seventh with a 3-2
lead thanks to a three-run homer by left fielder Corey Dickerson in
the sixth.
Pinch hitter Abraham Almonte greeted Rockies left-handed reliever
Boone Logan with a double. After Almonte moved to third on a
sacrifice bunt, Solarte reached the left field seats with a 371-foot
drive.
"Boone just left a back-door fastball on the inner half of the
plate," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said of Solarte's homer.
Weiss was more impressed by the Padres' bullpen.
"They came in and shut us down," he said. "They took complete
control of that game late."
Dickerson, who hit a game-winning homer Sunday in Arizona, erased a
1-0 Padres lead with a shot to right.
First baseman Justin Morneau and third baseman Nolan Arenado opened
the sixth with back-to-back singles off rookie Jesse Hahn, who had
allowed two hits and three walks through five scoreless innings.
Dickerson drove a 2-1 pitch 377 feet into the right field stands for
his 15th homer of the season. It was the second homer allowed by
Hahn in as many starts after he went eight straight starts without
allowing a homer.
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However, Dickerson was the last Colorado hitter to reach base. Vincent
came in immediately after Dickerson homered off Hahn.
The Padres, who took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when first baseman Yonder
Alonso homered into the short porch in right for the first hit off
Rockies right-hander Jordan Lyles, pulled to within one run in the
bottom of the sixth.
Right fielder Rymer Liriano, making his major league debut, hit a
bases-loaded, one-out sacrifice fly. Alonso and second baseman Jedd
Gyorko hit back-to-back singles with one out, and Grandal drew a walk
from reliever Matt Belisle to load the bases in front of Liriano. The
rookie hit a line drive to center field.
Hahn allowed three runs (on the Dickerson homer) on five hits and three
walks with five strikeouts over five-plus innings. Lyles allowed two
runs on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts over 5 1/3
innings.
The Padres are the fourth major league team to end a game with seven
consecutive strikeouts since the statistic was first tracked in 1974.
NOTES: OF Rymer Liriano, 23, considered one of the Padres' top two
prospects before he missed all of the 2013 season due to Tommy John
surgery, was promoted from Triple-A El Paso. Liriano hit .452 in 16
Triple-A games. To make room for Liriano, the Padres designated OF Jeff
Francoeur for assignment. ... New Padres GM A.J. Preller met with his
team for the first time Monday afternoon. The Padres were on the road
when Preller was hired Thursday. ... Rockies 1B Ben Paulsen hit safely
in each of his first eight major league games (11-for-27 with a homer
and four RBIs) before he struck out as a pinch hitter to end Monday's
game. ... The Rockies fell to 11-12 on the road against NL West rivals
this season.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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