Ross’ streak ends as Rockies sweep Padres, 6-0

MICHAEL KELLY
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Tyson Ross has made a habit of turning in quality starts in an otherwise disappointing season for the San Diego Padres.

He couldn’t keep his streak going against the Colorado Rockies.

Nolan Arenado homered, Franklin Morales pitched six solid innings for his first win in two months, and the Rockies beat San Diego 6-0 on Sunday.

Ross entered with 14 consecutive quality starts and came within one out of making it 15. But he allowed a two-out walk to Jackson Williams and a pinch-hit single to Matt McBride, ending his day. Alex Torres got the last out of the sixth to keep it a three-run game.

“Stats at the end of the day don’t matter to me,” Ross said. “It’s just all about doing my job on the days I get to go out there and pitch, and giving us a shot.”

Ross (13-13) allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out seven in 5 2-3 innings. His one bad inning was the second, when Colorado got all the runs it needed.

Singles by Corey Dickerson and DJ LeMahieu put runners on first and second before Williams drove a 2-1 pitch into the left-center seats for his first career home run.

“I threw it right down the middle and he put a good swing on it,” Ross said. “It was a pitch to get back in the count. Fifty-fifty odds he hits it at somebody or mis-hits it. But he timed it up perfect.

“Big three-run homer for them to get the lead right away.”

Ross left after throwing 116 pitches.

“He hung in there, got us into the sixth,” Padres manager Bud Black said. “One big swing on a slider that was up, out over the plate and that put us behind the 8-ball. And offensively, we just haven’t been doing much to overcome that lately.”

San Diego has lost five straight and has scored three or fewer runs in 10 of its last 11 games.

“Our bats have sort of gone silent for the most part over the last week,” Black said. “We’ve got to turn that around. Same group that was scoring some runs after the break, we’re in a little bit of a downturn right now. We’ve got to get that headed in the right direction offensively with some of the guys who are here in September.”

Arenado made it 5-0 with a two-run shot off reliever Robbie Erlin in the seventh. It was Arenado’s 17th of the season.

Morales (6-7) scattered four hits and walked two. He had been 0-3 with five no-decisions since beating San Diego on July 8.

The left-hander struck out four of his first seven batters and fanned six overall. It was the first time this season he started and didn’t allow a run.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Padres 2B Jedd Gyorko’s average is hovering near the Mendoza Line, but it might be much higher if he played at Coors Field half the season. Gyorko went 2 for 3 to climb to .201 for the season. In 16 career games in Denver he is hitting .333 with three home runs.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: LF Abraham Almonte was sore after falling Saturday and twisting his left ankle, but was possibly available to pinch hit. Almonte was shaken up when he slipped and fell hard as he charged Josh Rutledge’s sinking liner that dropped for a double in the third inning. Tended to by team trainers for several minutes, Almonte got to his feet and remained in the game until the sixth.

UP NEXT

Padres: RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (3-5) gets the ball in a matchup against Cy Young favorite Clayton Kershaw when San Diego opens a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. Kershaw has a 1.70 ERA.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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