Hosmer, Hedges power Padres to 4-3 win over Rockies
DENVER — Eric Hosmer and Austin Hedges homered off Tyler Anderson and the San Diego Padres cooled off the surging Colorado Rockies with a 4-3 win on Tuesday night.
The Rockies arrived home after a 5-1 trip that included a four-game sweep of Atlanta.
This had potential trap game written all over it: Colorado’s streak of 46 straight games against teams at or above .500 ended by facing a Padres squad that is hovering at the bottom of the NL. Over the stretch, the Rockies went 30-16 and pulled within a half-game of Arizona in the NL West entering the night.
Asked before the game if he was concerned about a letdown, Rockies manager Bud Black simply responded: “No. No concern.”
The last-place Padres are 6-7 against the Rockies this season. Hedges had the big blow with a solo homer in the sixth, giving San Diego a 4-3 lead.
Padres left-hander Robbie Erlin (3-3) allowed three runs over five innings.
He made five scoreless relief appearances against the Rockies earlier this season.
Craig Stammen escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth by striking out Trevor Story and getting Carlos Gonzalez to ground out to second baseman Christian Villanueva, who made a nifty sliding play. Kirby Yates pitched the ninth for his fifth save, with Chris Iannetta flying out to deep left to end the game.
Anderson (6-6) had pinpoint accuracy over 6 1/3 innings — 74 of his 99 pitches were strikes — except for two misplaced cutters. Hosmer hit one for a two-run shot in the first inning and Hedges added his 10th homer of the season.
The left-handed Anderson has now surrendered 26 homers, which is tied for the most in the NL.
Iannetta took a foul tip off his right wrist while catching in the top of the fifth, but remained in the game. In the bottom half, he launched a solo homer to tie the game at 3.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: LHP Eric Lauer (left forearm strain) is scheduled to throw about 65 pitches Friday for Triple-A El Paso. It will be his second rehab start since going on the DL on July 31.
HOLLIDAY ROAD
Entering Tuesday, slugger Matt Holliday was hitting .347 with three homers in 14 games for Triple-A Albuquerque.
He figures to be on the Rockies’ radar with rosters expanding on Sept. 1.
“I want him to come up. I want him here,” Nolan Arenado said. “He was one of my favorite players growing up . ... I know he can definitely be a help.”