If the Rockies could patent a starting pitching formula at Coors Field, Jordan Lyles’ performance Thursday afternoon would be it.
Riding the right-hander’s 6 efficient innings and another clutch home run by hobbled left fielder Corey Dickerson, the Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 2-1.
“It’s still early, and I wouldn’t say I’m satisfied or anything like that …. but I felt that we took a big step in the right direction today,” Lyles said.
The victory allowed the Rockies to salvage a split in the four-game series. The Padres have not won a four-game series in Denver since 1997.
“We have shown some resiliency early on here,” said Rockies manager Walt Weiss. “After our tougher losses, we have bounced back this year. To win a game like this, that’s going to help our confidence.”
Right-hander John Axford, not usual closer Adam Ottavino, shut the door on the Padres in the ninth inning to record his second save. Ottavino said he had “usual pitcher’s soreness.”
“It’s not a big deal. I’ve had this soreness before,” said Ottavino, who has not allowed a run in his past 14 appearances, dating to Sept. 7 of last season.
Axford gave up a one-out walk to Yonder Alonso before striking out Will Venable and Alexi Amarista to end the game.
“It’s great to get back out there, just in general, with the team, after the time off I had,” said Axford, who was absent from the team while his son, Jameson, recovered in a hospital from rattlesnake bites suffered in spring training.
“I pitched back-to-back days. That’s the first time all year I’ve done that, even in spring training,” Axford said. “But I felt really good.”
Lyles coaxed 10 groundball outs off San Diego bats while allowing just one run. He gave up six hits, all singles, struck out four and walked two. After four starts, he is 2-1 and owns a crisp 2.92 ERA.
Lyles used his sinking fastball to get the Padres to beat the ball into the dirt. “My fastball allowed me to find the bottom of the strike zone. I was very pleased with that,” he said.
He departed with two on and two out in the seventh inning, manager Walt Weiss calling on reliever Scott Oberg to snuff out the San Diego threat. Oberg did just that, striking out dangerous pinch-hitter Justin Upton. Upton was 5-for-9 with four RBIs against Lyles, which was part of the reason Weiss brought in Oberg.
“Jordan did an outstanding job,” Weiss said. “I was trying to get him through the seventh there, (but) I thought that Jordan was starting to get the ball elevated a bit.”
San Diego pushed across its lone run in the fourth — Lyles’ only shaky inning. He surrendered a two-out infield single to Matt Kemp and walked Yangervis Solarte, setting up Alonso’s run-scoring single to left.
Plantar fasciitis in Dickerson’s left foot makes it look like he’s running on a bed of hot coals, but he can still hit. His leadoff solo homer off Tyson Ross in the fifth put the Rockies in front 2-1.
Patrick Saunders: psaunders@denverpost.com or
Giants’ Chris Heston (2-1, 0.87 ERA) vs. Rockies’ Eddie Butler (1-1, 2.25), 6:40 p.m. Friday, ROOT; 850 AM
The Rockies will see the same three Giants starters they faced in a series sweep last week in San Francisco. Luckily for the Rockies, they again will dodge Giants ace Madison Bumgarner. “I don’t know how we’re going to miss Bumgarner again,” manager Walt Weiss said. “It seems like he pitches, like, 75 percent of the games when we play the Giants.” After facing Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and James Shields within five days, the Rockies will catch a break in not facing the 2014 World Series MVP.
Nick Groke, The Denver Post
Saturday: Giants’ Tim Hudson (0-2, 3.93 ERA) vs. Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (0-1, 31.50), 6:10 p.m., ROOT
Sunday: Giants’ Tim Lincecum (1-1, 2.00) vs. Rockies’ Tyler Matzek (1-0, 2.40), 2:10 p.m., ROOT
Monday: Rockies’ Kyle Kendrick (1-2, 6.85) vs. Diamondbacks’ Chase Anderson (0-0, 3.00), 7:40 p.m., ROOT
