Montero drives in 3 runs as the Rockies beat Padres 5-4 and extend winning streak to five games

By RICHARD J. MARCUS
Associated Press

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Elehuris Montero had two hits and three RBIs to lead Colorado to an 5-4 victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday night and extend the Rockies’ winning streak to five games.

Colorado relievers walked the bases loaded in both the eighth and ninth innings, but the Padres failed to score in either frame. San Diego drew 11 walks in the game — eight in the final three innings — and stranded nine runners in the loss.

“Man, the term ‘hang on tight’ came into play. … You don’t draw them up like that for sure,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “The last out was something in the dugout that goes your way, it is a good feeling. The guys erupted.”

The Rockies are 4-16 away from home with eight games over the next 10 days on their current road trip. The win snapped Colorado’s five-game losing streak at Petco Park, dating to the opening series of the 2023 season.

Colorado’s Jalen Beeks walked the bases loaded in the ninth, but didn’t give up a run and earned his fourth save. He got Manny Machado to hit into a game-ending double play.

“We’ll take Manny up there every day. It just didn’t work out,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “Typically, when you earn 11 walks, it puts you in pretty good position. We just couldn’t cash in on the big hit.”

Rockies right-fielder Jake Cave made an outstanding diving catch on the run to take away a possible hit on a fading blooper near the foul line by Luis Arraez in the ninth inning.

“I was just trying to cover as much ground as possible,” Cave said of his catch. “I’m not going to dive unless I think I have a chance to catch it, in that situation especially. I just let the game dictate what I was going to do.”

Rockies reliver Justin Lawrence also had control difficulties in the eighth, walking three batters. But, he was able to get out of the jam without giving up a run as he coaxed Luis Campusano to hit into a flyout to preserve the Rockies’ 5-4 lead.

The Padres generated all their offense on home runs. Jurickson Profar hit a two-run shot and Xander Bogaerts and Jackson Merrill added solo homers.

Colorado jumped on Padres starter Randy Vásquez (0-2), scoring one run in the first inning and four in the third. Montero singled in the run in the second and doubled in two runs in the fourth.

“We are just trying to go out there and win some ballgames and luckily the results have been good,” Montero said of the Rockies’ winning streak.

Rockies starter Dakota Hudson (1-6), who came into Monday’s gave having lost all six of his previous starts this season, earned his first win. He gave up three runs and three hits in 5-2/3 innings.

“I think it was the least I have used my slider on the year, it was just a lot of curveballs and lots of change-ups today and mixing the sinker in,” Hudson about his array of pitches. “Guys are just stepping up ready for their opportunity. … We are playing tough baseball.”

Vásquez lasted 3 2/3 innings and gave up five runs, four earned, and eight hits in the loss.

The Rockies had three stolen bases.

“Recently we have been in games and we have had good starting pitching so the games have been close,” Black said. “We are having trouble scoring runs, so any opportunity in the game that calls for aggressiveness, we are going to do it. We have got some team speed.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: IB Kris Bryant (low back strain) worked out in Denver on Monday and is headed to Triple-A Albuquerque for an injury rehab assignment starting May 14. He may join the Rockies in San Francisco starting May 17. … OF Nolan Jones (low back strain) is expected to begin an injury rehab assignment in Albuquerque on May 14 and could also return on May 17. … LHP Kyle Freeland (left elbow strain) is “a week or 10 days away from getting on the mound,” Black said.

Padres: SS Ha-Seong Kim was back in the lineup on Monday, a day after he left the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers after being hit in the left wrist. The X-rays came back negative. “I thought that didn’t look good at all, so we’re very pleased that he’s negative in the imaging and able to perform today,” Shildt said.

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