Rockies 6, Padres 4
SAN DIEGO -- Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu each had two hits and scored two runs and right-handed starter Kyle Kendrick hit his first major-league homer while picking up the victory as the Colorado Rockies snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-4 win over the Padres on Monday.
Blackmon and LeMahieu were the catalyst as the Rockies scored twice in the first and three times in the third to build a 5-2 lead. Kendrick homered in the fourth to make it 6-2 before the Padres started battling back.
But after pulling to with two, the Padres stranded three runners in scoring position over the final three innings while losing a third straight game.
Kendrick allowed three runs (two earned) over five innings to improve to 5-12. Right-handed closer John Axford picked up his 20th save.
Assisted by a two-run error when Padres right fielder Matt Kemp dropped a fly ball, the Rockies scored three times in the third to break a 2-2 tie.
As they did in the first inning, center fielder Blackmon and second baseman LeMahieu opened the third with back-to-back singles. Third baseman Nolan Arenado drove in his 106th run of the season with a ground-rule double to left-center.
Padres starter Ian Kennedy (8-13) appeared to regain control of the inning by striking out first baseman Justin Morneau and left fielder Kyle Parker. Shortstop Daniel Descalso then lofted a fly to deep right that Kemp seemed to have under control as he drifted back toward the wall. But the ball glanced off the base of Kemp's glove for a two-base error that allowed two runs to score.
The Rockies extended their lead to 6-2 in the fourth when Kendrick hit the first home run of his career, a 362-foot shot off Kennedy that landed on the second deck of the Western Metal Supply Co. building in left.
The Padres got one run back in bottom of the fourth and missed an opportunity to score more.
Left fielder Justin Upton walked and scored on shortstop Jedd Gyorko's double into the left-field corner. Catcher Derek Norris' bloop single to left put runners at the corners with none out. But second baseman Cory Spangenberg popped out and catcher Austin Hedges hit a double-play liner back to the pitcher.
Each team scored two runs in the first.
Blackmon opened the game with a double and scored on a LeMahieu triple that hit the wall behind Kemp and ricocheted toward center field. LeMahieu scored on Morneau's one-out single.
Third baseman Yangervis Solarte doubled with one out in the bottom of the inning and scored when Kemp rocketed his 19th homer into the seats in left. Kemp's 18th homer since June 6 extended his on-base streak to 27 straight games.
The Padres got another run back in the sixth, but missed an opportunity to score more. Justin Upton singled to lead-off the inning and scored on a throwing error by catcher Dustin Garneau on Spangenberg's infield single. The Padres loaded the bases with two outs and center fielder Wil Myers pulled a possible grand slam just foul before striking out.
NOTES: Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado left the game in the bottom of the eighth inning after apparently suffering a chest contusion while diving into the stands to unsuccessfully catch a foul pop fly in the sixth . . . Padres CF Melvin Upton Jr. was ejected from the game in the ninth by plate umpire Mike Muchlinski . . . Padres RHP Joaquin Benoit sat out the game with back spasms. "Our bullpen is decimated," said Padres manager Pat Murphy after saying Benoit is "day-to-day." The Padres are still without RHPs Shawn Kelley (forearm strain) and Brandon Maurer (shoulder inflammation) . . . CF Wil Myers hit lead-off Monday for the first time since he returned from the disabled list . . . The Padres Triple-A affiliate made the Pacific Coast League playoffs for the first time in 12 seasons. El Paso won the Pacific Southern Division title . . . Rockies catcher, and former Padre, Nick Hundley was sidelined Monday and listed as day-to-day with a sore neck . . . OF Carlos Gonzalez and SS Jose Reyes were also given Monday off as rest days . . . This is a four-game series with the teams playing on Thursday's scheduled off day to make up for the July 19 rainout, which was the first July rainout in the 47-year history of the Padres.