• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Atkins powers Rockies in rout of Padres

Jul 3, 2008 - 5:13 AM By Brady Delander PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DENVER (Ticker) -- Garrett Atkins and the Colorado Rockies did not let a tough loss weigh on them.

Atkins notched three hits, including a line-drive homer, and drove in four runs as the Rockies rolled past the struggling San Diego Padres, 8-1, on Wednesday.

Yorvit Torrealba hit a solo home run and a double while Troy Tulowitzki added a two-run shot for Colorado, which lost Monday's opener, 15-8, but bounced back to take the series.

"One thing we've been able to do is wash off tough losses, and Monday night was definitely a tough loss," Atkins said. "We were able to come back and take the series, and that shows the kind of character the guys have here."

Ubaldo Jimenez (3-8) picked up the second win in his last three starts, allowing a run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings. Jimenez's only blemish was Chase Headley's solo homer in the second inning.

"The guys scored a lot of runs at first, and when they do that, you can breath out there," said Jimenez, who regained command of his fastball after recent control issues.

"Even when I wanted off-speed, he really wanted to throw that fastball," Rockies catcher Torrealba said. "He was really throwing well, inside and out (to batters) on both sides of the plate. That was huge."

Things did not go as smoothly for Padres starter Randy Wolf, who was greeted by pitching coach Darren Balsley and catcher Michael Barrett before he even recorded an out. Things only got worse after that.

Wolf (5-8), who lost his fourth straight start, gave up a leadoff single by Tulowitzki in the bottom of the first inning and walked the next two batters to load the bases. Atkins then drilled the first pitch he saw for an RBI single to center.

"(Wolf's) stuff was good," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "The ball had life, he just couldn't dial it into the strike zone. He didn't look comfortable out there. His control and command both suffered."

"He just fell behind in counts and had to come over the plate," Atkins said. "When he did, guys didn't miss."

Headley's blast to left in the second tied it at 1-1, but Matt Holliday put Colorado back on top with an RBI single during the four-run second. Atkins followed with three-run homer and Tulowitzki lifted a two-run shot over the left field fence in the third for a 7-1 cushion.

"It seems like I'm not finding any holes or getting any broken-bat hits," said Tulowitzki, who is hitting just .211 (8-for-38) since coming off the disabled list on June 20. "But when I do get a hit, I hit it hard."

Bats on both sides mostly were quiet after the third as powerful winds began to swirl at Coors Field, gusting up to 44 miles per hour throughout the remainder of the game. But Torrealba blasted a solo homer off Carlos Guevara in the eighth to cap the scoring.

Barrett left the game in the third inning after fouling a ball off his face and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was diagnosed with a fractured nose. Black expects Barrett to be placed on the disabled list.