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Baker, Iannetta help Rockies pound Padres

Sep 17, 2008 - 5:15 AM By Brady Delander PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DENVER (Ticker) -- Chris Iannetta had not seen a knuckleball since spring training. He liked what he saw on Tuesday.

Iannetta hit his first career grand slam off knuckleballer Charlie Haeger and Jeff Baker added a three-run homer as the Colorado Rockies rolled to a 10-3 triumph over the San Diego Padres.

"I don't think we've ever faced a (knuckleball pitcher) in the regular season," Iannetta said. "It was my first career grand slam in the major leagues, so it was fun for me."

One night after getting lit up by San Diego in an 11-5 setback, Colorado returned the favor. Baker finished a triple shy of the cycle, Clint Barmes collected two hits and rookie Dexter Fowler added two and scored a run.

"We let them throw some pitches in there and we hit them," Fowler said. "We were patient out there, and it helped people contribute all the way around."

Hard-throwing righthander Ubaldo Jimenez gained strength as the game progressed after shrugging off a first-inning, two-run homer by Adrian Gonzalez. Jimenez (11-12) allowed three hits - none after Brian Giles' single to open the third - and struck out nine in seven innings.

"I tried to be able to throw my fastball for a strike and tried to get ahead of the hitters and throw my breaking ball after that," said Jimenez, who threw 117 pitches. "I felt good. My arm didn't feel tired at all."

Padres manager Bud Black offered plenty of praise for Jimenez.

"You combine the velocity this young man throws with the assortment of off-speed pitches, (and) if he's in the zone, he can be devastating," Black said.

San Diego starter Shawn Estes (2-3) was reached for six runs and 13 hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Gonzalez put the Padres on the board in the opening frame with his 34th homer of the season. But the 2-0 lead did not stand as the Rockies started piling on the runs, scoring one in the third, two in the fourth, three in the fifth and four more in the sixth.

"It was the complete package," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "Probably as impressive as anything was the way Ubaldo was able to put his foot down in the third inning."

Barmes gave the Rockies the lead in the fourth with a double over the glove of Chase Headley in left field. That hit plated Baker and Fowler for a 3-2 advantage.

After Estes picked up two quick outs in the fifth, Iannetta singled and Brad Hawpe drew a walk to set the table for Baker's three-run blast. Estes gave up two more base hits, including a single to center field by Jimenez, before leaving.

"Shawn pitched well. They nicked him for a bunch of singles until the big double (by Barmes) on a pretty good pitch down," Black said.

Haeger came on and got the final out of the fifth, but he opened the sixth with three straight walks before giving up the grand slam by Iannetta.

For the Padres, Headley had a double among his two hits and Sean Kazmar hit a single after replacing Luis Rodriguez at shortstop. Rodriguez left after the first inning with a strained right triceps muscle but should be back in the lineup within the next few days, according to Black.