SAN DIEGO-
Adrian Gonzalez hit an RBI double with one out in the ninth to give the San Diego Padres a 3-2 win over Colorado on Saturday night, snapping the Rockies’ three-game winning streak.
Jose Cruz Jr. started the winning rally with a leadoff single to left off Manny Corpas (0-1). He was sacrificed by Marcus Giles, whose older brother, Brian, was then intentionally walked to bring up Gonzalez. Gonzalez hit the first pitch to deep left-center to score Cruz.
Trevor Hoffman (1-0) pitched the ninth for his first victory since 2005. Baseball’s career saves leader with 483, Hoffman kept it tied at 2. Todd Helton hit a one-out single to center before Matt Holliday grounded into a double play.
The Padres got a nice season debut by 43-year-old David Wells, who pitched into the seventh inning.
Wells came up against a familiar malady for Padres pitchers—lack of run support. Russell Branyan muscled an opposite-field solo homer off Josh Fogg in the fourth, but the Padres otherwise weren’t able to put anything together while Wells was in the game.
Wells allowed two runs and six singles in 6 2-3 innings. He struck out four and walked one.
He left trailing 2-1, then watched as the Padres tied it in the seventh. Marcus Giles drew a one-out walk, took third on brother Brian’s single and scored on Gonzalez’s sacrifice fly, which chased Fogg.
Paul McAnulty was ready to pinch hit for Wells in the sixth but Rob Bowen grounded to second for the third out, so the big lefty went back out for the seventh. He allowed a leadoff single to Garrett Atkins, retired Helton and Holliday, then allowed a single by Jeff Baker and was replaced by Doug Brocail.
Wells got a nice ovation as he walked to the dugout and tipped his cap to the crowd of 40,504.
Wells got into trouble in the third when Troy Tulowitzki hit a leadoff single and Chris Iannetta walked. Fogg sacrificed and Willy Taveras flied out before Jamey Carroll singled to center for a 2-0 lead.
Branyan homered to left with one out in the fourth, his first.
Fogg gave up two runs and six hits, struck out three and walked one in 6 1-3 innings.
Notes:@ Marcus Giles’ walk with one out in the seventh was the first issued by the Rockies in three games. The Rockies had gone two consecutive games without walking a batter, just the second time that happened in franchise history. The other time was Aug. 11-12, 1995, at Atlanta. … Branyan started at 3B in place of rookie Kevin Kouzmanoff, who’s opened the season in a 2-for-17 (.118 slump). … The Padres wore camouflage uniforms to honor the military.
