BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Colorado Rockies had plenty of opportunities against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night.
They didn’t capitalize, allowing Joe Wieland to earn his first big league win as the Padres held on 4-3.
“I felt like we had a lot of chances to drive in the runs that we needed and they made good pitches,” said Charlie Blackmon, who hit a leadoff homer.
San Diego went ahead on Tommy Medica’s three-run homer in the bottom of the inning and never trailed.
“Any time you give up a crooked number in this park I think it will come back to haunt you,” Blackmon said. “If we avoid that, we win the baseball game. But that’s baseball.”
The Padres notched their 76th win with four games to go, matching their victory total from each of the last two seasons.
It was San Diego’s 48th home win, setting the franchise single-season record at Petco Park, which opened in 2004.
Colorado’s Justin Morneau went 0 for 3 to see his NL-leading average drop two percentage points to .317. Pittsburgh’s Josh Harrison went 1 for 5 to drop to .316.
Wieland (1-0) was making his second start and fourth appearance since May 6, 2012. He underwent reconstructive surgery on his right elbow in July 2012, forcing him to miss all of 2013 and part of this season. He was recalled from Triple-A El Paso on Sept. 2. He had a no-decision in a start at Colorado on Sept. 6.
Wieland held the Rockies to three runs and three hits in 5 1-3 innings, struck out five and walked three.
Joaquin Benoit pitched the ninth for his 10th save in
With the Padres trailing 1-0 after Charlie Blackmon homered leading off the game, Medica homered off Yohan Flande into the lower deck on the Western Metal Supply Co. brick warehouse in the left-field corner at Petco Park with two outs in the bottom of the first. It was his ninth. Yangervis Solarte was aboard on a leadoff walk and Yasmani Grandal was on base after getting hit by a pitch.
Blackmon homered to right to open the game, his 19th. It was his fifth this year from the leadoff spot.
The Rockies pulled to 4-3 in the sixth. Wieland walked Rafael Ynoa and Justin Morneau with one out before making way for R.J. Alvarez, who allowed RBI singles to Michael Cuddyer and Corey Dickerson. Cuddyer and Dickerson each had three hits.
Flande (0-6) allowed four runs and four hits in four innings, struck out four and walked one.
“He’s been pretty stingy early in games but Medica got the barrel to that ball in the inner half and hit it out,” manager Walt Weiss said. “That’s a big blow, a three-run shot here. It’s always tough to score runs here and that was a big one early.”
Medica doubled down the right-field line in the fourth. It was originally ruled a foul ball by first base umpire Jerry Meals but Padres manager Bud Black challenged and the call was overturned. The Padres loaded the bases but failed to score.
SEASON SERIES
The Rockies finished 10-9 against the Padres to win the season series for the second straight year.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: Manager Bud Black says he’ll give it a day or two before deciding if RHP Odrisamer Despaigne will pitch again. The Cuban defector, a rookie, has a sore right side.
UP NEXT
Rockies: After a day off Thursday, RHP Jordan Lyles (7-3, 4.15 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday night in the opener of a three-game, season-ending road series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. L.A. counters with RHP Roberto Hernandez (8-11, 4.08).
Padres: RHP Andrew Cashner (5-7, 2.21) is scheduled to start Thursday night in the opener of a four-game, season-ending series at San Francisco. Giants counter with RHP Yusmeiro Petit (5-5, 3.63).
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
