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 In his fourth career start Sunday, the 28-year-old rookie catcher
hit his first career home run, a three-run shot that gave him his
first RBI in the big leagues and helped the Rockies beat the San
Diego Padres 6-0 to sweep their three-game series.
Williams called the home run, "Something I'll remember for the rest
of my life." But it was by no means his most satisfying part of the
game.
"If I had to give back my three-run homer for catching a shutout,
I'd do it every day of the week," Williams said. "I take more pride
in what I do behind the plate than what I do at the plate."
The shutout was the Rockies' second in three games against the
Padres and gave the Rockies a four-game winning streak for the first
time since their season-high five-game winning streak June 11-15.
They finished a 5-1 homestand that gave them 11 wins in their past
15 games at Coors Field, where they are 39-35 this season.
Franklin Morales (6-7) worked six innings for the Rockies, who broke
the game open when third baseman Nolan Arenado hit a two-run homer
in the seventh and right fielder Charlie Blackmon tripled home a run
in the eighth.
Williams, who spent his first seven professional seasons in the San
Francisco organization before signing a minor league contract with
Colorado in November, played in his fifth career game and hit his
three-run homer with one out in the second. He connected on a 2-1
slider from Tyson Ross, who had yielded just 12 homers in 187
innings prior to this start.
"I kind of noticed early on when he was throwing that fastball it
was more in off the plate for show, and then he was getting guys out
away with that slider," Williams said. "I was just trying to stay
through the middle of the field, and he hung the slider right there
over the middle of the plate. After I saw it go over (the left-field
wall), I was floating around the bases. It was awesome."
The Rockies brought Williams to the big leagues for three games in
June when catcher Michael McKenry went on a three-day bereavement
leave. Williams didn't play in any of those three games McKenry
missed and returned to the minors, where he had 2,345 plate
appearances in 663 games, about half of them at the Triple-A level.
Ross gave up a leadoff single to left fielder Corey Dickerson in the
second. After right fielder Ben Paulsen grounded into a force play,
second baseman DJ LeMahieu singled ahead of Williams and his
memorable swing.
"I threw it right down the middle and he put a good swing on it,"
Ross said. "It was a pitch to get back in the count -- 50-50 odds he
hits it at somebody or mis-hits it. But he timed it up perfect."
Ross (13-13) had thrown 14 consecutive quality starts, setting a
Padres record that came to an end when he worked 5 2/3 innings. He
threw 116 pitches, four shy of his season high, but allowed just two
more hits after Williams' homer.
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"Stats at the end of the day don't matter to me," Ross said, referring to
his record run of quality starts. "It's just all about doing my job on
the days I get to go out there and pitch and giving us a shot (to win)."
The loss was the fifth straight for the Padres, who have scored three or
fewer runs in four of those defeats and 10 of their past 11.
"Our bats have sort of gone silent for the most part over the last
week," Padres manager Bud Black said. "We've got to turn that around.
Same group that was scoring some runs after the break, we're in a little
bit of a downturn right now. We've got to get that headed in the right
direction offensively with some of the guys who are here in September."
NOTES: Rockies C Wilin Rosario (left wrist inflammation) was eligible to
come off the 15-day disabled list Sunday and was activated. He pinch hit
in the eighth and doubled to right-center. ... Rockies RF Michael
Cuddyer (left hamstring strain) will be activated Monday when he is
eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list. ... Colorado's Ben
Paulsen made his second career start in right field. His other seven
career starts have been at first base. Paulsen was lifted for a pinch
runner in the sixth after Padres RHP Tyson Ross hit him on the right
elbow with a pitch. ... Colorado's Rafael Ynoa made his third career
start and first at shortstop after starting once at second base and once
at third base. ... Padres LF Abraham Almonte was sore after falling in
the third inning Saturday and twisting his left ankle. He was possibly
available to pinch hit but didn't play. ... Padres manager Bud Black
said it was too early to tell whether RHP Joe Wieland would get another
start after giving up seven hits and four runs Saturday in 2 1/3 innings
in his first major league appearance since he underwent Tommy John
surgery July 27, 2012.
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