Nevin’s Home Run Keys Padre Victory

Phil Nevin’s three-run home run, a few bloop hits and a key play at the plate lifted the San Diego Padres to a 14-10 victory Saturday over the Colorado Rockies at Denver.

Nevin’s homer in the sixth off John Wasdin gave the Padres the lead for good at 11-9.

It came just after the Rockies elected to intentionally walk Tony Gwynn.

“He’s earned that respect by being one of the best hitters in our time,” Nevin said.

“Tony knows how to hit anybody, so they probably had more confidence pitching a right-hander [Wasdin] to me than a left-hander [Mike Myers] to Tony.”

Gwynn’s run handed the loss to Myers (0-1).

The Padres scored five runs in both the fourth and sixth innings, most of the damage coming off Colorado ace Mike Hampton, who went five-plus innings, surrendering 11 hits and nine runs, six earned.

Hampton said he had “pretty good stuff. I felt I didn’t pitch that poorly, but the scoreboard shows otherwise.”

Hampton did hit his first career home run.

The Padres averted a damaging sixth inning by Colorado when Neifi Perez led off with a single but was thrown out at the plate on Larry Walker’s double. The Rockies settled for one run in the inning, on Todd Helton’s sacrifice fly.

“That was a huge play,” Padre Manager Bruce Bochy said. “They ended up getting one run, but it kept us from a big inning.”

Damian Jackson drove in three runs and Mark Kotsay drove in two for San Diego. Woody Williams (1-1) got the win despite giving up nine runs, eight of them earned.

San Diego scored three runs in the ninth on run-scoring singles by Mike Darr, Ryan Klesko and Jackson. Trevor Hoffman got the last out for his first save.

Ron Gant had a three-run homer and drove in four runs for Colorado.