Rockies 2 - 1 Padres
Final
  for this game

Helton's homer carries Rockies to sweep of Padres

Apr 15, 2013 - 3:42 AM

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San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Todd Helton's pinch-hit two-run homer in the seventh inning was enough to lift the Colorado Rockies to a 2-1 win over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.

"He's going to have some at-bats in those types of situations late in games," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "It's a credit to him being ready mentally and focused for that at-bat on a day he had off."

Jorge De La Rosa (1-1) tossed six scoreless innings for Colorado, which swept the three-game series. De La Rosa allowed just two hits and struck out seven en route to his first win since May of 2011.

Clayton Richard also allowed two hits in six shutout innings for San Diego before giving way to Dale Thayer (0-1), who allowed Helton's go-ahead shot.

"We didn't get the offense," manager Bud Black said. "We talked about when we pitch well, you'd like to be able to support it with a couple of runs. That's how it goes when things aren't going your way.

Three Rockies relievers did not allow a hit in three innings of work to preserve the lead, though Rafael Betancourt walked two and allowed a run in the ninth before picking up his fifth save of the season.

Jedd Gyorko went 1-for-2 and picked up the lone RBI for San Diego.

After both starting pitchers were lifted, Chris Nelson drew a walk against Thayer to lead off the seventh inning. Yorvit Torrealba advanced Nelson to second with his first sacrifice bunt of the season, which set the table for Helton's pinch-hit bomb to right field.

Betancourt entered in the ninth for Colorado and walked Everth Cabrera and Yonder Alonso to begin the inning. Cleanup hitter Jesus Guzman advanced the runners with a sac bunt for the first out, then Gyorko hit a sac fly to right field to cut the deficit in half.

Nick Hundley struck out swinging, however, to end the game.

Game Notes

Padres outfielder Kyle Blanks, who was recalled from Triple-A Tucson earlier on Sunday, pinch-ran for Alonso in the ninth inning ... Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin dropped his appeal of his eight-game suspension for brawling with Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke earlier in the week and began serving the penalty on Sunday. He will miss San Diego's upcoming series with the Dodgers.






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