The Rockies’ wild and crazy 12-7 victory over the Padres Monday night went by in a blur.
Led by rookie Dexter Fowler’s record-setting five stolen bases, the Rockies ran the Padres right out of Coors Field. A chilly announced crowd of 18,246 saw the Rockies steal eight total bases against a helpless Padres battery of pitcher Chris Young and catcher Nick Hundley.
Fowler’s five steals tied a modern-day major league rookie record (since 1900). He tied the Padres’ Damian Jackson, who stole five bases against the Rockies on June 28, 1999 at San Diego.
Fowler — who went 2-for-4 to bump his average to .302 — singled and stole second and third base in the first inning. He scored on Todd Helton’s sacrifice fly.
In the second, Fowler walked and again stole both second and third. This time he trotted home on Garrett Atkins’ single. Steal No. 5 came in the fourth after Fowler reached on a single. Fowler already has nine steals this season, easily the best among major league rookies.
Fowler, however, did not set a Rockies’ single-game record. That’s still held by Eric Young, who stole six against the Dodgers on June 30, 1999 at Coors Field. In that game, the Rockies set a team record with 10 steals.
The Rockies’ other base thieves Monday night were Ryan Spilborghs, Ian Stewart and Clint Barmes.
For the second straight night, the Rockies’ offense exploded. They torched Padres pitching for season-high 17 hits as they won their second straight game.
The night had a scary moment, too. Rockies right fielder Brad Hawpe’s stellar game came to an end in the sixth inning. Hawpe dove back into second base when a pickoff throw from Padres catcher Nick Hundley smacked Hawpe on the right side of the head, near his neck.
Hawpe lay motionless for several minutes before he was taking off the field on a golf cart. The initial report was that Hawpe had suffered a possible concussion. He was taken to Denver’s Rose Medical Center for further evaluation.
Hawpe was 2-for-2 with a two-run double and two runs scored before the injury. Hawpe’s fourth-inning double extended his hitting streak to six games, tied with Garrett Atkins for the longest this season by a Rockie. Hawpe is hitting .328, best among the Rockies regular starters.
Young, usually so tough on the Rockies, gave up eight earned runs in just three-plus innings. The eight runs surrendered were a career-high. He entered the game with a 5-1 record and a 3.28 ERA in 11 career starts vs. the Rockies.
The frenetic action on the bases relegated Jason Hammel’s first start in a Rockies uniform to a footnote. He pitched two scoreless innings, but the Padres torched him for four runs on four hits in the third.
It wasn’t all Hammel’s fault. With two outs and two on, Spilborghs misplayed Headley’s sinking liner in left. Spilborghs raced in but couldn’t quite reach the drive. The ball snuck under his glove and rolled to the left-field wall for a two-run triple.
Jody Gerut belted a solo homer off Hammel to lead off the fourth and when David Eckstein walked, Hammel was done, replaced by Glendon Rusch. Rusch got Headley to ground into a double play to end the Padres’ threat.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
