San Diego Padres vs Colorado Rockies Box Score on Sep 16, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Sep 16, 2017

DENVER -- Tyler Anderson made a triumphant return to the rotation Saturday night as the Colorado Rockies pounded the San Diego Padres 16-0 and gained ground in their pursuit of the postseason.

The win was the 10th in 13 games for the Rockies, who lead the Milwaukee Brewers by 3 1/2 games and the St. Louis Cardinals by 4 1/2 games in the race for the second National League wild-card spot. The Brewers and Cardinals both lost Saturday.

Making his first start for the Rockies since June 25, Anderson (5-5) held the Padres hitless for 5 2/3 innings and was a victim of his pitch count rather than any damage by the Padres.

Manuel Margot singled for the Padres' first hit, chopping a ball that landed less than 15 feet in front of home plate. Catcher Jonathan Lucroy pounced on the ball, but the speedy Margot beat his throw. The announced sell-out crowd of 48,247, hopeful of seeing the second no-hitter at Coors Field and first by a Rockies pitcher, gave Anderson a loud ovation.

Charlie Blackmon homered and drove in four runs, giving him a National League-record 92 RBIs as a leadoff man and 93 RBIs overall. After Blackmon hit a three-run homer in the sixth off Miguel Diaz in the sixth to make it 10-0, Diaz hit DJ LeMahieu on the left biceps with a 1-0 fastball clocked at 94.9 mph.

LeMahieu yelled at Diaz as he walked toward first and was restrained by catcher Luis Torrens. Both benches and both bullpens emptied and Diaz was ejected by home plate umpire and crew chief Gerry Davis.

Pinch hitter Pat Valaika belted a grand slam in the six-run seventh. Carlos Gonzalez hit a two-run homer in the fifth, and the Rockies roughed up former teammate Jordan Lyles (1-3) with a five-run third when they batted around, stoking the rally with six hits.

Anderson underwent surgery to clean out his left knee July 3. He made three rehab appearances for Triple-A Albuquerque and boosted his pitch count to 59 on Monday when he threw four scoreless innings in relief of starter Kyle Freeland.

Anderson, who took Freeland's turn in the rotation, left after throwing 73 pitches (48 strikes) and allowing two singles in six innings with two walks and three strikeouts.

The Rockies outhit the Padres 17-3 while sending them to their season high-tying fifth straight loss. San Diego has also seven straight games to the Rockies, the longest losing streak in club history against them.

In the third, the Rockies piled on Lyles and built a 5-0 lead. Lyles was a member of the Rockies for 3 1/2 seasons and part of their relief corps this season until they released him Aug. 1 after he went 0-2 with a 6.94 ERA in 33 appearances.

Back in the lineup after a rare day off, Charlie Blackmon drove in the first run when he flared a double to left in the third that dropped just inside the foul line for his NL-record 89th RBI as a leadoff hitter. Hall of Famer Craig Biggio had 88 RBIs leading off for Houston in 1998.

LeMahieu and Nolan Arenado singled home runs, and Trevor Story capped the rally with a two-run single with two outs.

Carlos Gonzalez made it 7-0 in the fifth when he hit his 13th home runs, a two run-shot into the second deck in right field. LeMahieu, who walked to open the inning, scored ahead of Gonzalez. Lyles gave up eight hits and seven runs in four-plus innings, leaving after he faced three batters in the fifth and threw 90 pitches.

NOTES: Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado drove in his 125th run, making him the first player in Rockies history to drive in at least 125 runs in three consecutive seasons. ... PH Pat Valaika hit his fourth pinch-hit homer of the season. It was the 11th pinch-hit grand slam in Rockies history and their first at Coors Field since Todd Helton's on April 29, 2012, against the New York Mets. ... Rockies CF Charlie Blackmon's double and homer gave him 82 extra-base hits and a National League record as a leadoff hitter. Jimmy Rollins set the previous record with 80 extra-base hits for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007. ... Padres 1B Wil Myers left the game with a right knee contusion. He fouled a ball off the knee in the sixth before striking out. ... Rockies RHP Tyler Chatwood will pitch Wednesday at San Francisco on regular rest as they skip Chad Bettis, who has struggled lately. With a day off Monday, they will go with four starters one turn through the rotation. ... Padres IF/OF Jose Pirela has not progressed yet to where he can take batting practice and remains day-to-day with a sprained left pinkie.