DENVER (AP) - Here’s quite a changeup: German Marquez shook off throwing his 98-mph fastball at times in favor of his offspeed pitches.
It just made him that much tougher to figure out.
The hard-throwing rookie tied a career high with nine strikeouts, Charlie Blackmon hit his fourth leadoff homer of the season off the facing of the third deck and the scuffling Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 9-6 on Monday night.
Trevor Story added a two-run double as part of a five-run third to help the Rockies win back-to-back games for the first time in nearly a month.
“That’s very comforting,” Marquez said through a translator of an early advantage. “Makes me feel really good when we can get that kind of a lead.”
Marquez (7-4) allowed three runs over 6 2/3 innings. He perplexed the Padres by effectively mixing in his curve with his blazing fastball. He also showed off a changeup that he’s just starting to lock in.
“He shook me off twice to go to the change,” catcher Tony Wolters said. “I was really proud of him doing that. His changeup is really good. It hovers and looks like his fastball. He’s been working really hard at it and his hard work is paying off.”
Greg Holland got Matt Szczur to ground out following a two-out double in the ninth to earn his 29th save in 30 chances.
San Diego starter Luis Perdomo (4-5) had his three-game winning streak halted after surrendering seven runs, five earned, over 2 1/3 innings. He also walked three, including two straight with the bases loaded in the third.
“He clearly wasn’t his typical self. He didn’t have his normal sink, wasn’t locating really much of anything,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “He’ll get back to sinking the baseball, getting on top of it and he’ll come out next Saturday and be ready to go.”
Jabari Blash hit a two-run homer in the second that was projected to 477 feet. It was the longest by a Padres player since MLB’s Statcast began keeping track in 2015.
Hector Sanchez had a solo shot during a three-run eighth inning that cut the deficit to 8-6. It was his third straight game with a homer, including a game-ending shot against San Francisco on Saturday.
Of Sanchez’s 10 hits this season, six have left the park.
Blackmon extended his hitting streak to 12 games with his towering solo shot. He had an inside-the-park homer the day before in a win over the Mets in New York.
The Rockies are 7-15 since June 21, when the team fell out of first place in the NL West. They trail the Los Angeles Dodgers by 11 games.
“Every team goes through this,” Wolters said. “We just need to win. That’s the No. 1 priority.”
Marquez was bailed out of trouble in the third on a nifty grab by third baseman Nolan Arenado , who started a double play from his right knee. Marquez waited near the mound to give him a high-five for ending the inning with a runner on third.
“That was a big play,” Rockies manager Bud Black said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: OF Hunter Renfroe (strained neck) took batting practice Monday. “He’s looking good so he’s nearing full baseball activities,” manager Andy Green said. … C Austin Hedges was a late scratch. He took a foul ball off his mask in a recent game. “He’s still not quite right,” Green said.
Rockies: RHP Tyler Chatwood’s strained right calf “feels a little better,” Black said. “No timetable for his return.” … OF David Dahl (rib) will stay in the minors for a while to get more at-bats. “He’s a good player. But he’s got to play,” Black said.
LOST CARGO
Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez was on the bench after going 0 for 8 during the three-game series in New York. Gonzalez is hitting .214 and hasn’t gone deep since June 20.
“He’s frustrated,” Black said. “It’s going to turn at some point. I wish I could tell you when.”
UP NEXT
Padres: RHP Dinelson Lamet (3-3, 5.93 ERA) has eight or more strikeouts in four of his eight starts in his rookie season.
Rockies: RHP Antonio Senzatela (9-3, 4.63) makes his first start since June 22. The Rockies moved him to the bullpen and briefly to Triple-A Albuquerque to keep his innings down.
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