San Diego Padres edge out Colorado Rockies 5-4 as Luke Gregerson records save - MLB Update
Relief pitcher Luke Gregerson keeps the Colorado Rockies from cutting in to the lead as he helps the San Diego Padres to a 5-4 victory at Coors Field, Denver, Colorado on August 31, 2012 in the first game of the three match series.
The game took on an interesting shape when the Rockies managed one run in the bottom of the ninth. This was the time when a couple of productive hits from their batters would have given the Padres little to no chance of being able to come back in the match.
However, thanks to the reliever Gregerson who settled down quickly after giving up one run, the Padres protected the lead successfully.
From the beginning San Diego was in control and heading to record an easy win. However, half way through the game the Padres were shaken as the two runs in the bottom of the sixth by the Rockies threatened their lead.
Credit to their pitchers then that did not let Colorado make anything substantial out of the little momentum they gained in the match.
Clayton Richard started for San Diego. He yielded eight hits and leaked three runs in little more than six innings. Despite the fact it was not the best of the shows on the mound by him he earned the win.
Offensively, left fielder Carlos Quentin made valuable contribution with two hits in four at-bats for San Diego. Other than him the centre fielder Cameron Maybin was extremely successful on the plate in terms of making the most of his at-bats. He was 3-for-4
on Friday.
Meanwhile Maybin talks of the run that he managed to score and how it strengthened the team’s lead.
"It was a steal, trying to make something happen," Maybin said. "When I peeked over my shoulder I could see it was rolling away from (Rutledge). It was a big run."
Padres’ manager Bud Black praises the strategy used by Richard to record outs in the game.
"The last few months (he's) just keeping the ball down," manager Bud Black said. "Pitchers are always evolving and Clayton isn't one to stand still. Early in his career he was a high fastball pitcher. Now we've seen a lot of ground-ball outs on pitches down
in the zone."
It was the first game of the series and therefore the Padres will be trying to make sure they carry their winning momentum forward for more positive results.
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