Villanueva, Richard help Padres keep Rockies down
SAN DIEGO -- Rookie Christian Villanueva homered for the second game in a row, and Clayton Richard pitched 7 1/3 effective innings as the San Diego Padres shut out the Colorado Rockies 3-0 on Thursday night.
Villanueva, who was called up Monday, homered in the fifth inning and added a RBI single in the sixth.
Richard, after signing a two-year contract extension Wednesday, was sensational in handing the fading Rockies their fourth consecutive loss and sixth in eight games.
The left-hander beat the Rockies for the second time in four starts this year by restricting them to seven hits and a walk. Richard (8-14) was backed by three double plays, and he struck out six.
Colorado maintained its one-game lead for the National League's second wild-card spot with the Milwaukee Brewers losing to the Chicago Cubs.
Hunter Renfroe, who hit three homers on Wednesday, delivered a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning prior to Villanueva's run-scoring hit.
The Rockies had the tying run at the plate in the eighth, but Padres reliever Kirby Yates struck out DJ LeMahieu in a 12-pitch duel and got Nolan Arenado to ground out. Brad Hand struck out the side in the ninth for his 20th save.
Tyler Anderson (5-6) lasted 5 2/3 innings and surrendered three runs, six hits and a walk. Anderson, who won his previous two starts, had six strikeouts.
Villanueva smacked the second home run of his career, a 410-foot blast off Anderson that put the Padres ahead 1-0.
The Rockies had little luck against Richard as he leaned on his ability to produce ground balls. He entered the game tied with the Blue Jays' Marcus Stroman for the major league lead in ground balls induced.
After Arenado singled in the first, Trevor Story grounded into a double play. Two of the three outs in each of the next two innings came via ground balls, and in the fourth, Richard produced another double-play grounder to squash the Rockies.
Manuel Margot advanced to third in the third inning thanks to a two-out double and a wild pitch, but Carlos Asuaje struck out to strand him.
NOTES: Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado snapped a 0-for-16 skid on the road with a first-inning single. ... Colorado LHP Tyler Anderson had his 14-inning scoreless streak snapped on Christian Villanueva's fifth-inning homer. ... Padres LF Jose Pirela (thumb) won't play again this season. ... San Diego RHP Jose Valdez and INF Dusty Coleman were outrighted to Triple-A El Paso. ... The Padres will extend their protective netting at Petco Park in 2018.