DENVER (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts hit home runs in the fifth inning, part of a five-homer game for San Diego, and the Padres routed the scuffling Colorado Rockies 21-0 on Saturday night.
Jake Cronenworth, Gavin Sheets and Jason Heyward also went deep for San Diego. The Padres set season highs in runs and hits (24) for the second straight game while sending Colorado to its eighth straight loss.
The Rockies, who are 6-33, matched the 1988 Baltimore Orioles for the worst 39-game start in the majors in 130 years. Baltimore finished 54-107 that season.
Stephen Kolek (2-0) tossed a shutout in his second major league start. He cruised through Colorado’s lineup, allowing five hits and struck out seven.
The only time he faced trouble was in the sixth when the Rockies had runners on the corners with one out but he induced Hunter Goodman into an inning-ending double play.
Sheets homered off Bradley Blalock (0-2) in the five-run first inning and Heyward hit a three-run shot in the fourth when San Diego sent 12 men to the plate. The Padres scored at least one run through the first six innings.
Jackson Merrill had four hits and Elias Díaz and Luis Arraez finished with three hits apiece. Eight batters recorded at least two hits for San Diego.
Key moment
Colorado catcher Jacob Stallings tossed the final two innings. He gave up a run in the eighth and struck out Díaz looking to start the ninth.
Key stats
Merrill, who went 4-for-6, has five straight multihit games, tied with Philadelphia’s Trea Turner for the longest active streak in the majors. Merrill, who missed a month with a right hamstring strain, is batting .538 since returning to the lineup Tuesday.
Up next
RHP Nick Pivetta (5-1, 2.01 ERA) starts the final game of the series for the Padres while Germán Márquez (0-9, 9.90) starts for the Rockies.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Michael Kelly, The Associated Press
