CASPER
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SAN DIEGO (AP)—Heath Bell(notes) blew a save for the second straight night, and this time his teammates were able to pick him up.
Pinch-hitter Nick Hundley(notes) drew a bases-loaded walk with one out in the 10th inning and the San Diego Padres beat NL wild-card leader Colorado 3-2 on Saturday night, snapping the Rockies’ eight-game winning streak.
Colorado has a 5 1/2 -game lead in the wild-card race over San Francisco and Florida. The Rockies dropped three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.
Bell failed for the second straight night to protect a one-run lead, victimized once again by Yorvit Torrealba(notes).
Although he was upset about his fifth blown save, Bell was happy for his teammates.
“It’s going to happen. It’s very unfortunate,” Bell said. “What can I say? They have a good lineup. I made some mistakes yesterday, today I had some bad luck. I’ve been very lucky all year. These guys are picking me up. I came in and they all said, ‘Keep your head up, let’s go. We’ve got you.’
“It’s a proven fact these guys are winners.”
Will Venable(notes) opened the 10th against left-hander Franklin Morales(notes) (3-1) with a single that ricocheted off the outstretched glove of first baseman Todd Helton(notes) and was sacrificed by pinch-hitter Luis Rodriguez(notes). Henry Blanco(notes) was intentionally walked and Edgar Gonzalez, pinch-hitting for left-hander Tony Gwynn(notes) Jr., walked to load the bases and bring up Hundley. Hundley pumped his right fist after drawing ball four, which brought in Venable.
Hundley said he took some advice from teammate David Eckstein(notes).
“It was really important to kind of slow it down and not expand the zone— get a pitch in that situation that I can handle,” Hundley said. “He’s got really good stuff, and I think expanding it would help him out so it’s going to be really tough on you.”
Earlier this season, Hundley had a game-winning home run against Cincinnati in the 16th inning.
“They’re both nice in their own way,” he said. “Obviously a walkoff home run is going to be a little bit more exciting, but when you get the win against a contending team, a team that’s hot and playing as well and as talented as the Rockies, you can’t ever take that for granted.”
Pinch-hitter Nick Hundley(notes) drew a bases-loaded walk with one out in the 10th inning and the San Diego Padres beat NL wild-card leader Colorado 3-2 on Saturday night, snapping the Rockies’ eight-game winning streak.
Colorado has a 5 1/2 -game lead in the wild-card race over San Francisco and Florida. The Rockies dropped three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.
Bell failed for the second straight night to protect a one-run lead, victimized once again by Yorvit Torrealba(notes).
Although he was upset about his fifth blown save, Bell was happy for his teammates.
“It’s going to happen. It’s very unfortunate,” Bell said. “What can I say? They have a good lineup. I made some mistakes yesterday, today I had some bad luck. I’ve been very lucky all year. These guys are picking me up. I came in and they all said, ‘Keep your head up, let’s go. We’ve got you.’
“It’s a proven fact these guys are winners.”
Will Venable(notes) opened the 10th against left-hander Franklin Morales(notes) (3-1) with a single that ricocheted off the outstretched glove of first baseman Todd Helton(notes) and was sacrificed by pinch-hitter Luis Rodriguez(notes). Henry Blanco(notes) was intentionally walked and Edgar Gonzalez, pinch-hitting for left-hander Tony Gwynn(notes) Jr., walked to load the bases and bring up Hundley. Hundley pumped his right fist after drawing ball four, which brought in Venable.
Hundley said he took some advice from teammate David Eckstein(notes).
“It was really important to kind of slow it down and not expand the zone— get a pitch in that situation that I can handle,” Hundley said. “He’s got really good stuff, and I think expanding it would help him out so it’s going to be really tough on you.”
Earlier this season, Hundley had a game-winning home run against Cincinnati in the 16th inning.
“They’re both nice in their own way,” he said. “Obviously a walkoff home run is going to be a little bit more exciting, but when you get the win against a contending team, a team that’s hot and playing as well and as talented as the Rockies, you can’t ever take that for granted.”
