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Padres belt 3 HRs, top Rockies

Jul 21, 2012 - 6:06 AM San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Yasmani Grandal hit a two-run homer, Carlos Quentin and Chase Headley both added solo shots, and the Padres downed the Rockies, 9-5, in the opener of a three-game series at Petco Park.

Carlos Gonzalez hit his second career grand slam, which gave the Rockies a 4-3 lead in the third inning, but Chris Denorfia belted a two-run triple in the bottom half before scoring on Grandal's blast to left.

Jason Marquis (3-5) earned the win, allowing five runs -- three earned -- on nine hits over five innings. He struck out two and did not issue a walk.

The Padres have won four straight games and six of seven overall.

Rookie starter Drew Pomeranz (1-5) lasted just three innings in the setback and was charged with seven runs on nine hits.

The Rockies wore black wristbands to honor the victims of Friday's mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado. Twelve people were killed and many were injured when a lone gunman opened fire at a screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Century 16 Movie Theaters. The cineplex is located less than 20 miles from Coors Field, where the Rockies play their home games.

"The realization that we're just playing a baseball game tonight pales in comparison to what a number of people are going through as we sit here right now," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said prior to his team's fifth loss in its last six games.

Quentin led off the second inning with a homer, and Denorfia followed with an infield single before scoring on Grandal's double into the corner in left field.

Rockies catcher Wilin Rosario left the game shortly thereafter when he suffered an apparent ankle injury while attempting to block a wild pitch.

Grandal moved up on the play and scored on Everth Cabrera's infield single -- a slow roller which third baseman Jordan Pacheco unsuccessfully attempted to barehand.

Gonzalez's slam came on a 2-1 sinker and was the sixth by a Rockies player this season. It was the 19th home run of the year for Gonzalez, who recently ended a career-long homerless with a two-run blast on Wednesday against the Pirates.

Headley reached on an infield single to start the bottom half and Quentin dropped a sinking liner into right before both runners crossed the plate on Denorfia's triple down the line in left. Grandal's fifth homer of the season put the Padres on top for good.

"Guys are picking each other up all across the board and that's what it takes when you string wins together," said San Diego manager Bud Black.

The Rockies loaded the bases again in the fifth inning, but managed just one run -- on Andrew Brown's warning-track sacrifice fly -- before Marquis retired Pacheco to escape.

There were two down in the eighth when Ramon Hernandez reached on an error and Josh Rutledge doubled off of Luke Gregerson, but Joe Thatcher struck out pinch-hitter Jason Giambi to end the inning.

Logan Forsythe added a sac fly in the bottom half and Headley capped the scoring his 11th homer of the year.

Game Notes

Marquis made 33 starts for the Rockies in 2009...Padres closer Huston Street tossed a 1-2-3 ninth, extending his scoreless-innings streak to 11 2/3 frames. It is the longest streak by a Padres reliever this season...On Friday, the Royals sent left-hander Jonathan Sanchez to the Rockies in exchange for righty Jeremy Guthrie. Sanchez was just 1-6 with a 7.76 ERA in 12 starts for Kansas City this season. Guthrie was Colorado's opening day starter after being acquired from Baltimore in February and joins the Royals after going 3-9 with a 6.35 ERA in 19 games this season, including 15 starts.