Hammel helps Rockies top Padres 3-2

SAN DIEGO (AP)—Jason Hammel listened to some smart advice, and it paid off in a big way.

Hammel pitched inside more and it helped him get into the seventh inning as the Colorado Rockies beat theSan Diego Padres 3-2 on Friday night.

“I had a sit down and was told that my M.O. around the league is the way hitters look at me,” Hammel said. “Obviously, I need to be able to pitch inside more. I was able to do that effectively enough.”
Colorado scored three times in the second inning and earned its 10th win in its last 13 games at Petco Park. The Rockies also have won two in a row after losing four straight.
Hammel (6-10) was charged with two runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings. He snapped a personal two-game slide and earned just his second victory in his last seven starts.
“(Hammel) got punched there in the (third) inning,” Colorado manager Jim Tracy said. “You were anxious to see how he was going to respond once that happened. What was great to see was that he punched back and gave us some more good innings.”
Hammel left after losing pinch-hitter Kyle Blanks(notes) to a walk, and the Rockies used three relievers to finish the inning.
Matt Lindstrom(notes) came in and struck out Cameron Maybin(notes) before allowing a single to Orlando Hudson(notes) that moved Blanks to third. Matt Reynolds(notes) then walked Chase Headley(notes) to load the bases before Matt Belisle(notes) retired Ryan Ludwick(notes) on a popup.
“I don’t think he is pressing,” Padres manager Bud Black said of Ludwick, the subject of much speculation ahead of Sunday’s non-waiver trade deadline. “He’s taking good rips, the results aren’t there. He has to get to the point where his timing is a bit more precise.”
Rafael Betancourt(notes) worked the eighth and Huston Street(notes) finished for his 28th save in 30 chances. Cameron Maybin doubled with two out in the ninth, but Street got Orlando Hudson to ground out to end the game.
“The bullpen did a wonderful job,” Tracy said. “We got backed into a corner there in the seventh inning and Belisle made a pitch with the slider to Ludwick.”
Maybin finished with three hits and is batting .387 since the All-Star break. He has hit safely in 13 of 14 games.
Padres starter Tim Stauffer(notes) (6-8) gave up eight hits in seven innings. He hurt himself with a costly balk, the first of his career.
Troy Tulowitzki(notes) and Seth Smith(notes) began the second with consecutive singles and each runner moved up on a groundout. Ian Stewart(notes) and Chris Iannetta(notes) then had RBI singles to make it 2-0.
Stewart and Iannetta pulled off a double steal without a throw with Hammel at the plate. Before the next pitch, Stauffer was called for a balk, allowing Stewart to score.
“It was a combination of things,” Stauffer said. “They hit some decent pitches, pitches I left out over the plate. But they were down and out hunting fastballs and were fortunate to get a couple of knocks there.”
The Padres thwarted another Colorado run by pitching out when Hammel attempted a suicide squeeze. Catcher Luis Martinez(notes) took the pitch and fired to Headley at third base, who tagged out Iannetta.
San Diego cut the lead to 3-2 in the third. Maybin doubled, went to third on a wild pitch and scored when Hudson’s infield hit bounced off the glove of a diving Tulowitzki at shortstop. Hudson then stole second and scored on Headley’s single.
NOTES: Hammel is 3-0 with a 2.92 ERA in four career starts at Petco Park. … Padres LHP Clayton Richard(notes) underwent season-ending arthroscopic shoulder surgery. … The Rockies are without a homer in five straight games, their longest streak in nearly a year. … San Diego scratched RF Will Venable(notes) (back spasms) and SS Jason Bartlett(notes) (tight right hamstring) from the starting lineup.The 6-foot-6 right-hander was urged by Colorado’s coaching staff to start going inside more, and he paid attention.