Jackson Merrill belted a three-run homer to help the host San Diego Padres overcome Mickey Moniak’s two-homer, five-RBI performance in a 9-6 victory versus the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
San Diego’s Gavin Sheets provided insurance with a two-run double in the eighth inning, and Jose Iglesias had a two-run single in the first
Fernando Tatis Jr. collected three hits and four of his teammates had two for the Padres (82-68), who bolted out to a 7-0 advantage after three innings.
The fast start led San Diego to its sixth win in the last nine games overall and 10th in 13 meetings this season with Colorado. The Padres are 2 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.
Moniak recorded four hits to lead the comeback bid of the Rockies (41-109). He homered off Yu Darvish (4-5) to lead off the fourth inning, had a three-run shot in the sixth and added an RBI single in the seventh to trim San Diego’s lead to 7-6.
Darvish allowed three runs on four hits with five strikeouts in five-plus innings. Robert Suarez struck out three batters in the ninth to secure his 38th save of the season.
Ezequiel Tovar ripped an RBI double in the seventh inning for the Rockies, who lost for the 19th time in the last 23 games.
San Diego’s Manny Machado (rest) sat out his first game of the season and Luis Arraez (head) also was a spectator for the series finale.
The Padres quickly loaded the bases against German Márquez (3-14) in the first inning before Jake Cronenworth’s bunt single up the third-base line scored Tatis with the game’s first run. Iglesias’ single up the middle plated a pair of runs to extend the Padres’ lead to 3-0.
Merrill doubled the advantage in the second inning after depositing a 2-0 sinker from Marquez over the wall in left-center field. The homer was Merrill’s 13th of the season and third in his last four games.
San Diego increased its lead to 7-0 after Freddy Fermin registered the team’s third straight single to start the third inning.
Marquez permitted seven runs (six earned) on nine hits in 2 1/3 innings.
