Pérez stars in debut, helping Friars snap trouble vs. Rox
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SAN DIEGO -- Hallelujah! Yes, they really did it: The Padres beat the Colorado Rockies.
That usually doesn't translate into big news, but considering San Diego's lack of success against their struggling NL West foes this year, it calls for a Saturday night toast after a 3-2 victory at Petco Park.
The Rockies' had the Padres number for five straight games, playing better than their last-place status would lead one to believe. But the Padres kept the faith that the tables would turn.
They flipped after the Padres flopped against rookie starter Tanner Gordon.
But veteran southpaw Martín Pérez had his own plans. He was stellar in his Padres debut, keeping Colorado close while San Diego's bats were silent.
"He was fantastic and very efficient," Padres manager Mike Shildt said. "He did a great job."
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Pérez, acquired at the Trade Deadline from the Pirates, delivered a sensational outing. That's an encouraging sign for a rotation with some missing parts.
"That's why I'm here, to help this team win," Pérez said. "I think this is just the start. We just have to keep doing our thing, and we are going to have a good future."
Pérez leaned on his soft stuff, curves and changeups, in silencing the Rockies' bats.
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"They are an aggressive team and we were trying to slow them down a little bit and throw my game," said Pérez. "My breaking ball was a key today."
His lone hiccup was when Rockies left fielder Hunter Goodman smashed a 92 mph fastball in the third inning for his eighth home run of the year and first since June 22.
The pitch was up and out of the strike zone, but Goodman got on top of it and deposited the ball into the left-center field seats for a 1-0 lead.
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Pérez escaped from a two-out jam in the fifth when Elias Díaz reached on an infield single, and Goodman stroked a single to center. But Pérez got Sam Hilliard to line out to right field.
Rockies manager Bud Black, whose team is 6-3 against the Padres, tipped his cap to Pérez.
"[He] changed speeds, a lot like Gordon," Black said. "Fastball in and out. Changeup down. Breaking ball both sides. He pitched."
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For six innings, Pérez gave the Padres everything they could have imagined. He surrendered a run and three hits, with seven strikeouts.
What San Diego couldn't envision was being stymied by the unheralded and inexperienced Gordon. He entered the game with an 0-3 record and an 8.80 ERA.
The Padres had scant luck early on as Gordon retired the first 12 batters he faced.
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The Padres suffered strikeouts and weak contact, as they were baffled by Gordon's arsenal of four-seam fastballs, sliders and changeups. Despite it being just his fourth start in the Majors, he easily kept San Diego at bay.
The Padres made some commotion in the fifth, as Manny Machado opened with a walk, and Xander Bogaerts followed with a single off third baseman Ryan McMahon's glove.
Shildt embraced the small-ball approach, although he didn't give a sign.
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Rookie Jackson Merrill bunted the ball, advancing the runners 90 feet. Machado then scored on David Peralta's ground out to the right side, tying the score at 1.
Gordon dominated the Padres for six innings, allowing a run, a hit and a walk, with four strikeouts.
The Rockies' bullpen gate opened in the seventh and the Padres swung into action. With Gordon out and reliever Peter Lambert in, San Diego got busy.
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Jake Cronenworth started with a single and advanced to third on Machado's soft double to right field.
Bogaerts followed with a sharp single to score Cronenworth and Merrill's sacrifice fly chased in Machado for a 3-1 edge.
The Padres would need that last run, as Jacob Stallings' pinch-hit homer pulled the Rockies to within a run in the eighth.
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It ended with Robert Suarez, the Padres' third reliever, closing out the victory for his 24th save. Jason Adam (5-2), San Diego's first reliever, earned the win.
"We know who we are as a team," Bogaerts said. "It doesn't matter if we play the Dodgers or the Rockies; every game has the same importance. You have to win each and every one."