DENVER (AP) — Brendan Rodgers hit a go-ahead grand slam in a five-run fourth inning, and the Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 7-4 on Tuesday night for just their second win in 10 games.
Colorado trailed 4-1 before Rodgers' first career slam, a drive into the left-field bleachers on an up-and-in fastball from Michael King (2-2) with an 0-2 count. Rodgers had not homered since Sept. 29 — he hit all four of his homers last year in a 10-day span.
“Bases loaded, 0-2 count. We’re going, ‘Come on, B!’” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “And he got the head on a fastball. Big exhale. The dugout was pumped. That was big, and you hope that these types of moments can give us a jumpstart.”
Rodgers said he was relieved to come through in that situation and give his struggling team a lift.
“You know, (Ryan McMahon) came up to me and said, ‘That’s one of the biggest swings of the year,'’' Rodgers said. "And it kind of felt like it, being down early and then getting guys on base in that inning. I got down in the count and then I took a good short, two-strike swing. It definitely was a good feeling.”
King allowed six runs — four earned — eight hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings, leaving after a bases-loaded walk to Elehuris Montero.
“I got away from my sinker/sweeper and was throwing a lot of four-seamers,” King said. “I was executing early in the count but I felt they were making the mid-at bat adjustment. I should have gone to other pitches to either get them off of it or go back to it and I got burned on it.”
Ezequiel Tovar added an RBI single in the fifth for the Rockies, who stopped a six-game losing streak to the Padres.
Nolan Jones had an RBI single in the second that stopped an 0-for-26 skid. He left after six innings because of back stiffness.
Colorado, 4-7 at Coors Field but 2-11 on the road, ending a streak of six consecutive home games in which it had been held to three or fewer runs. The Rockies have trailed at some point in each of their first 24 games to start the season — a feat that since 1900 had been accomplished only by the 1910 St. Louis Browns in their opening 28 games.
Jalen Beeks (2-1) pitched three three hitless innings in relief of Ryan Feltner, who allowed four runs and 10 hits in four innings. Justin Lawrence got three outs for his first save this season.
Jake Cronenworth had an RBI single in the first and Jurickson Profar a sacrifice fly. Luis Campusano had a run-scoring double in the third and scored on Jackson Merrill's single.
