Colon dominant over 7 innings in home debut as Braves beat Padres
ATLANTA — Bartolo Colon was having too much fun in his home debut with the Braves to be bothered by a home run in the second inning. He had no reason to worry. Colon allowed only a hit in seven dominant innings, Brandon Phillips drove in three runs with three hits and Atlanta beat the San Diego Padres 9-2 on Sunday for its fourth straight win.
“I’ve always tried to pitch relaxed and be in a good place when it’s my turn,” Colon said through a translator. “Like I tell everybody, the day it’s my turn to pitch is the happiest day of the week for me. I love it. I was just trying to be relaxed and have a good time out there.”
Colon (1-1) overpowered the Padres as he showed why he
was given a $12.5 million, oneyear contract in November.
“He’s probably experienced anything and more than all the rest of us in this clubhouse,” said manager Brian Snitker.
“Nothing bothers him . ... It’s refreshing to watch. I love being around the guy,” Snitker continued.
Ryan Schimpf’s homer in the second was the only hit allowed by the 43-yearold Colon. The right-hander allowed only one more baserunner — a leadoff walk to Schimpf in the fifth before Hunter Renfroe hit into a double play. Colon had six strikeouts.
“It’s nice having him on our side,” said Freddie Freeman. “If he gives up one, that’s usually all they’re going to get.”
Manager Andy Green said Padres hitters were “way too passive” and took too many fastballs against Colon.
“Once you let Bartolo get deep in the count, he starts pitches that look like strikes that really aren’t,” Green said.
The Padres led 1-0 until Tyler Flowers’ single drove in Phillips and Adonis Garcia in the fifth. Phillips’ one-out single was the first hit allowed by Trevor Cahill (0-2).
Phillips had a two-run single in the sixth and a run-scoring single in the eighth. Ender Inciarte hit his fourth homer in the seventh.