Recap: Colorado vs. San Diego
Sports Network | September 16, 2008
Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Wade LeBlanc earned his first major league win and Adrian Gonzalez knocked in four runs, as the San Diego Padres thumped the Colorado Rockies, 11-5, in the opener of a three-game set from Coors Field.
LeBlanc (1-1) tossed six innings and allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks, while fanning six. Gonzalez had three hits, including a three-run homer while Brian Giles also had three hits with a pair of RBI and two runs scored for the Padres, who were coming off a three-game sweep at the hands of San Francisco and had dropped five of six.
Mark Antonelli and Drew Macias both homered, and Chase Headley contributed with a pair of doubles and two RBI.
Troy Tulowitzki doubled and hit a grand slam while Chris Iannetta added a solo homer for the Rockies, who ended a seven-game slide Sunday. Greg Reynolds (2-7) was shelled for seven runs in just two-plus innings on nine hits to take the loss.
San Diego took an early 2-0 lead when Will Venable doubled to start the game, moved up on a sacrifice and scored on Giles' single to center. Gonzalez followed with a double to deep right-center to plate Giles.
Luis Rodriguez and Giles opened the third frame with singles and Gonzalez crushed his 33rd home run of the season to deep center. Kevin Kouzmanoff then tripled to right and Headley smoked a double down the right field line for a 6-0 margin and Reynolds' outing was finished.
Jason Hirsh came on to record the first out but Antonelli hit his first home run of the season out to left and the Pads were up 8-0. They further padded the lead in the fourth when Gonzalez doubled and Headley knocked him in two batters later.
Colorado finally cut into that lead in the home half. The Rox loaded the bases with a pair of singles and a walk and Tulowitzki smacked a grand slam over the center field wall and the score was 9-4.
With Matt Herges on the hill, Giles doubled in Antonelli, who walked to start the seventh. The Rox got that run back in the eighth when Iannetta greeted Mike Ekstrom with a home run over the right field wall to start the inning.
Steven Register was charged with holding the Pads from any further damage in the ninth, but Macias lined a home run to right to start the inning for an 11-5 lead heading into the last half-inning, where the Rox went quietly.
The Padres lead the season series 9-7...Tuesday's scheduled starters are Ubaldo Jimenez (10-12) for Colorado and Shawn Estes (2-2) for San Diego.
