DENVER (AP) — Dylan Cease permitted one hit in seven innings and pinch-hitter Tyler Wade singled home the tiebreaking run in the eighth, sending the San Diego Padres to a 3-1 victory over the struggling Colorado Rockies on Monday night.
Cease (3-1) struck out eight and walked none. The only baserunner he allowed in a 90-pitch outing was Charlie Blackmon's leadoff double in the fourth.
“In control was the best way of saying it,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “Everything was coming out clean, it was going where he wanted to throw it, it was filthy. It was just dominant stuff.”
Acquired from the Chicago White Sox in a March 13 trade, the right-hander lowered his ERA to 1.82 — his best mark through five outings in six major league seasons.
“He’s electric,” Padres rookie outfielder Jackson Merrill said. “I’m very thankful we acquired him through the trade. I lost some friends to that, but it’s so worth it. He’s disgusting.”
Luis Campusano had two hits for the Padres and scored the go-ahead run. San Diego has won 10 of the past 12 meetings between the NL West rivals dating to last April.
With runners at the corners in the ninth, Robert Suarez got Ryan McMahon to ground into a game-ending double play for his eighth save.
Colorado lost for the eighth time in nine games and dropped to 5-18, the worst record in the National League.
Nick Mears (0-2) gave up both Padres runs in the eighth.
Campusano doubled with two outs and scored when Wade singled to right field, barely beating a tag at the plate. Wade went to second on the throw home and scored on Merrill's single to make it 3-1.
“We’ve shown a lot of resilience late in games,” Cease said. “For me, it was just hold them as long as I could and give them a chance to bring it home, which they did.”
Jurickson Profar, who played 111 games last season for the Rockies before being released, had a two-out RBI single for San Diego in the third.
The Rockies have trailed in each of their 23 games this season, becoming the first team since the 1931 Cincinnati Reds to earn that ignominious distinction.
Colorado has scored only 12 runs in the past eight games. The Rockies have three or fewer runs in six consecutive home games, setting a franchise record.
“At some point, it’s got to turn where we’ve got to get the bat to the ball and get some big hits,” manager Bud Black said. “There’s really no secret. We’ve got to do a better job.”
McMahon’s team-leading 13th RBI came on a sacrifice fly in the fourth.
