Tuesday, July 16, 2002
Rockies 5, Padres 0
The Associated Press
SAN DIEGO — Rookie Denny Stark allowed one hit over six scoreless innings in his first start since June 3 and the Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 5-0 Monday night.
Stark (5-1), who replaced the struggling Denny Neagle in the rotation, held the Padres hitless for 5 1-3 innings before allowing Ramon Vazquez's double to left field.
Stark had pitched more than one inning just once in the last 31 days. Justin Speier and Todd Jones finished the combined three-hitter.
Stark, who came to Colorado from Seattle in the offseason as part of the Jeff Cirillo trade, was 3-1 with a 3.34 ERA as a starter after being recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs on May 13. He was sent to the bullpen after starter Shawn Chacon returned from the disabled list on June 5.
Stark struck out five and walked three. In his only other start against San Diego, on May 29, he lost 11-3 after walking seven and allowing five hits and six earned runs 5 1-3 innings.
The Padres were coming off a 4-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday in which previously winless Bud Smith allowed just three hits in seven shutout innings. Smith no-hit the Padres in San Diego on Sept. 3.
The Padres came in with a team batting average of just .242, tied for second-worst in the majors.
The Rockies got back at rookie lefty Oliver Perez (3-2), who struck out a Padres rookie record 13 in his last start, a 7-1 win at Colorado on July 7.
Perez struck out nine, but he also allowed Ben Petrick's homer to left on a full-count with one out in the second and Gary Bennett's RBI single with one out in the seventh before being lifted. Bennett's hit scored Terry Shumpert, who hit a leadoff double.
The Rockies added three runs in the eighth, all unearned because of an error on reliever Kevin Pickford, who dropped first baseman Ryan Klesko's throw on Brent Butler's leadoff grounder. Pickford loaded the bases on a hit and walk before making way for Rodney Myers, who allowed consecutive RBI groundouts to Todd Zeile and Shumpert, and an RBI single to pinch-hitter Ross Gload.
Notes: Perez had to dive out of the way of Todd Helton's bat after the Rockies' slugger lost his grip on it in the sixth inning. Helton struck out looking on the next pitch. ... After Tuesday night's game against the Rockies, the Padres play their next 12 against the top two teams in the NL West, Los Angeles and Arizona.
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Rockies 5, Padres 0 
