Lost in Tuesday’s trade deadline frenzy that brought superstar outfielder Juan Soto to San Diego was more heartache for the Rockies.
Trent Grisham launched a walk-off solo homer off Rockies’ set-up man Alex Colome, lifting the Padres to a 3-2 victory at Petco Park, giving the Padres a sweep of the doubleheader. The Padres won the opener, 13-5.
The Rockies, on pace to go 70-92, are 3-10 since the All-Star break.
Grisham’s blast was the first home run allowed by Colome this season and the second walk-off homer of the season for Grisham.
It spoiled what was otherwise a solid pitching performance by Colorado in Game 2.
Rockies right-hander Jose Urena bounced back, at least a little bit, from his poor start against the Dodgers last week at Coors Field. Tuesday night, he pitched four innings, allowing two runs on three hits with three walks and one strikeout.
Two of Urena’s walks came in the first inning and they hurt. Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar led off with a single and then Urena walked Manny Machado and Jake Cronenworth to load the bases with nobody out. The free passes set up sacrifice flys by Jorge Alfaro and Wil Myers, tying the game, 2-2.
The Rockies, as has become their pattern on the road, struck quickly for a 2-0 lead before their bats went silent. Jose Iglesias, hitting leadoff, opened the game with a single off Padres right-hander Reiss Knehr. Brendan Rodgers ripped a two-out single and Ryan McMahon lashed a double to right, scoring Iglesias. Rodgers scored from third when Knehr was called for a balk.
From the fifth inning through the eighth, lefties Austin Gomber and Lucas Gilbreath held the Padres scoreless, supported by fielding gems by left fielder Sam Hilliard and Rodgers at second.
But one swing of the bat erased that good work.
San Diego routed the Rockies in the opener, coming back from a 3-0 deficit in the fourth inning to win going away as the Padres feasted on the Rockies’ pitching.
The day started off well for Colorado. Randal Grichuk blasted right-hander Yu Darvish for a two-run homer in the second and Rodgers led off the fourth with a home off Darvish.
But Darvish settled in, and the Padres beat up starter Ryan Feltner and relievers Jake Bird, Robert Stephenson and Ty Blach for a total of 19 hits. Feltner, making a fill-in start, was gone after only 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and eight hits.
Padres hitters had a field day at Petco in Game 1. Jurickson Profar had a career-high five hits and drove in two runs, Kim Ha-Seong had a career-high four hits and two RBIs, and Cronenworth added a two-run homer.
To complete the rare four-day, five-game series, the Rockies and Padres will play each other Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon. Colorado will get the honor of being the first team to face Soto in his new Padres uniform.
Earlier in the season, Kuhl was the Rockies’ most consistent, and at times their most dominant, starter. But not lately. In his last start, he allowed five runs on six hits with four walks and three strikeouts in just 3 2/3 innings against the Dodgers. He has not pitched more than five innings since his complete-game shutout of the Dodgers on June 27 at Coors Field. The right-hander is 0-1 with an 8.00 ERA in two starts vs. the Padres this season, his loss coming at Petco Park in the first game of the June 10 doubleheader. San Diego tagged him for five runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings.
Trending: Entering the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader, outfielder Randal Grichuk was hitting 20-for-62 (.323) with five doubles, two triples, two home runs and 17 RBIs over his last 17 games, rebounding from an 0-for-14 slump.
At issue: C.J. Cron, Colorado’s lone All-Star, entered Game 2 of the doubleheader in a deep slump, going 7-for-45 (.156) with two doubles and one home run since the break. Cron hit 2-for-5 in Game 1, with a double and an RBI.
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