Red-hot Rockies beat Padres for sixth win in a row behind Cal Quantrill
Denver Post
SAN DIEGO — Inside the clubhouse, Rockies players had quietly said they were much better than their terrible record indicated. They didn’t say it too loudly because it’s best to whisper when you own an 8-28 record.
But after beating the Padres 6-3 Tuesday night in front of 40,134 at Petco Park, who could blame the Rockies for turning up the volume? After all, the Rockies have won six consecutive games to improve to 14-28, their longest winning streak since winning eight in a row from May 26 to June 2, 2019.
Starter Cal Quantrill pitched another excellent game. He limited the Padres to one run on six hits over six innings. He walked three and fanned five. He’s won three straight games, allowing two runs through 19 2/3 innings — good for a .092 ERA — with 19 strikeouts.
Over the last six games, Rockies starters have posted a 2.29 ERA.
And the Rockies are finally hitting in the clutch. They banged out 10 hits and were 4 of 6 with runners in scoring position.
They took a 1-0 lead on Ryan McMahon’s leadoff homer in the fourth off right-hander Dylan Cease, who’s emerging as San Diego’s best pitcher. It was McMahon’s team-leading sixth homer.
Colorado drove Cease from the game with a four-run sixth inning that began with a leadoff double by shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and included two-out RBI singles by Brendan Rodgers, Jake Cave, Elehuris Montero and Jordan Beck.
Tovar led off the seventh inning with his fifth homer, a shot to deep left off reliever Stephen Kolek’s first-pitch sweeper, to give Colorado a 6-0 lead.
But things got dicey for the Rockies in the bottom of the frame when San Diego cut the lead to 6-3. Quantrill got the hook when he walked leadoff hitter Jurickson Profar, and then the Padres battered reliever Victor Vodnik for three singles and also scored on Vodnick’s wild pitch.
Tyler Kinley pitched a perfect ninth to pocket his first save of the season.
The Rockies will be hunting for their second straight series sweep when they play San Diego on Wednesday afternoon.
Want more Rockies news? Sign up for the Rockies Insider to get all our MLB analysis.