Padres vs Rockies Game Recap: Jeff Suppan Gets Second Straight Win

The veteran stop gap Jeff Suppan is doing more than filling in.  He’s winning ball games for a team that has struggled to win in general.  In his 2012 debut last week, Suppan did not allow a run over five innings.  Last night, he was almost as good, and allowed just one run in five innings of work.  The Padres offense backed Suppan enough to pick up the 3-1 win.

Colorado got on the board first after a shaky start to the game for Suppan.  Jordan Pacheco doubled, Carlos Gonzalez walked, and Todd Helton singled in the first run of the game for the Rockies.  Suppan, however, quickly settled down and didn’t allow another run.  He finished the game with five innings pitched, one run, four hits, and two walks.

The Padres answered in the bottom of the first.  Will Venable, who had himself a very nice game, tripled and later scored on the RBI single of another hot-hitting Padre.  Yonder Alonso picked up the two-out RBI with a line drive single to score Venable from third.  San Diego would add another run in the fifth with an RBI double by Will Venable, and they would add a third run in the eighth on a run-scoring triple by Orlando Hudson.

Yonder Alonso, Will Venable, and Mark Kotsay were the top performers of those not named Jeff Suppan.  Alonso raised his batting average to .284.  He also collected his 29th hit and his 11th walk of the season.  Kotsay continued his hot-hitting.  Venable led the team in total bases last night with five.  He triple and scored, then he doubled in a run.  He went 2 for 3 in the game with a pair of singles.

For the second straight game, the bullpen has been lights out.  Over four innings and with five relievers used, the ‘pen gave up just four hits and no runs.  Dale Thayer came in to close the game and picked up his second straight save in Huston Street‘s absence.

The Padres have now won just their second series of the year.  However, they are in a position to sweep a series for the first time all season. In their normal 3:35 PT Wednesday start time, the Padres will send Anthony Bass to the mound to take on Christian Friedrich.

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