SAN DIEGO-
The last pitch Greg Maddux threw was caught by reliever Heath Bell more than 400 feet from home plate.
That wasn’t the way Maddux wanted to exit his first start with the San Diego Padres.
Maddux was mediocre Friday night, getting chased by Matt Holliday’s two-run homer into San Diego’s bullpen that helped carry the Colorado Rockies to a 4-3 win and ruin the Padres’ home opener.
Kazuo Matsui had three hits, two stolen bases, an RBI and a run scored for the Rockies, who won their third straight following an opening-day loss to Arizona.
Khalil Greene hit a two-run homer off Brian Fuentes with no outs after Mike Cameron was hit with a pitch to lead off the ninth inning. Fuentes settled down and got three outs to seal his first save in as many chances.
Pitching eight days before his 41st birthday, Maddux allowed four runs and five hits in 5 1-3 innings. Noted for his control throughout his brilliant career, the 333-game winner also hit a batter and allowed a run to score on a wild pitch. He struck out four and walked one.
Holliday hit an 0-2 pitch over the 401-foot sign in left-center with one out in the fifth. Bell, who’d been warming up for several minutes, turned and nonchalantly caught the ball.
Manager Bud Black came out to get Maddux (0-1), who’d been visited before the at-bat by pitching coach Darren Balsley.
Maddux dropped to 14-6, with two no-decisions, while making his first start of the season. He was 5-0 to start last season with the Chicago Cubs. Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31, he signed with the Padres in December for $10 million.
Jason Hirsh (1-0) made his Rockies debut a memorable one, striking out a career-high eight while walking none and holding San Diego to one run in 6 2-3 innings. Hirsh allowed five hits, including Terrmel Sledge’s homer in the fifth.
Hirsh was obtained Dec. 12 from Houston in a five-player trade that sent Jason Jennings to the Astros.
Sledge’s two-out shot to right tied the game at 1.
The Rockies took the lead right back in the sixth. Matsui beat out a slow roller to third for a single, stole second, advanced on Garrett Atkins’ fly ball and scored on Maddux’s wild pitch.
Maddux walked Todd Helton ahead of Holliday’s homer.
Maddux retired the first two batters in the third before hitting Willy Taveras in the back with an 0-2 curveball. Taveras scored on Matsui’s triple into the right-field corner.
Notes:@ The Padres honored Hall of Fame-electee Tony Gwynn by unveiling a Countdown to Cooperstown banner on the top balcony of the Western Metal Supply Co. Building in the left-field corner during pre-game ceremonies. Gwynn addressed the crowd via a video message, unable to attend because he was coaching the San Diego State Aztecs. … Relievers Trevor Hoffman and Scott Linebrink, and bullpen catcher Mark Merila raised the 2006 NL West championship banner. … Buzzie Bavasi, 90, the Padres’ first president, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
