Kemp blast lifts Padres past Rockies
SAN DIEGO -- Behind a tape-measure, three-run homer by Matt Kemp, a straight steal of home by Melvin Upton Jr. and seven shutout innings by starting pitcher Drew Pomeranz, the San Diego Padres defeated the Colorado Rockies 4-0 Friday night to help ease the pain of blowing a 10-run lead the previous night.
Pomeranz and relievers Ryan Buchter and Carlos Villanueva combined on a two-hit shutout.
Kemp's three-run shot to left in the first traveled 458 feet, equaling the longest home run in the 13-season history of Petco Park.
Upton scored the Padres' fourth run on a straight steal of home against Rockies starter Chris Rusin (1-4) in the fourth inning.
And Pomeranz evened his record at 5-5 -- and lowered his earned run average to 2.22 -- by allowing two hits and two walks with eight strikeouts over seven innings. The only hits off the left-hander were singles by Nolan Arenado in the third and Trevor Story in the seventh.
Pomeranz retired 12 of the last 13 Rockies he faced.
Left-hander Buchter -- who gave up four runs on two hits, a walk and a hit batter during Thursday night's bullpen collapse -- pitched a perfect eighth for the Padres and right-hander Villaneuva closed out the Padres' fourth shutout of the season.
Rusin allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits and two walks in seven innings.
Coming off the biggest collapse in franchise history, the Padres wasted no time getting on the board Friday with Kemp's 14th homer of the season.
Jon Jay opened the inning with a single -- his 10th hit in his last 12 at-bats.
Wil Myers followed with a nubber back toward the mound that was fielded by Rusin, but he threw wide of second for an error.
That brought up Kemp, who hammered the first pitch he saw, the ball leaving the bat at 110 mph and landing in the last row of seats in the second deck in left. The listed distance of 458 feet tied the April 26, 2009 homer by Adrian Gonzalez as the longest in Petco Park history.
The Padres' fourth run came on two perfectly executed plays in the fourth.
Upton drew a walk to open the inning and moved to third when catcher Derek Norris grounded an opposite-field single to right on a hit-and-run -- the ball slicing through the spot vacated by Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who was covering the bag.
Upton was on third with one out and pitcher Pomeranz at-bat when the left fielder broke for home on Rusin's slow delivery out of the stretch. The ball beat Upton to the plate, but he slid around the tag of catcher Nick Hundley and rolled to tag the plate with his left hand.
It was the Padres' first straight steal of home since Everth Cabrera caught the Dodgers Kenley Jansen napping with his back to the plate July 14, 2012 at Dodger Stadium.
The Padres rebounded a night after blowing a 10-run lead in a 16-13 loss to Seattle at Petco Park.
NOTES: The Rockies activated C Nick Hundley from the disabled list Friday. He had been out since May 6 with a strained left oblique muscle. At the same time, the Rockies placed C Tony Wolters on the seven-day concussion list. ... In the wake of Thursday night's bullpen failure, Padres manager Andy Green announced there would be a changing of assignments in the Padres bullpen, although Fernando Rodney would remain the closer. Green said the changes would become apparent the way relievers are used in the future. The Padres blew a 10-run lead in a 16-13 loss to Seattle on Thursday. Four relievers allowed 10 runs on nine hits, two walks and a hit batter in 1 2/3 innings. ... The Padres' eight starting position players Friday hit a combined .487 with four home runs, a triple and five doubles over the previous two nights.