DENVER (AP) — The San Diego Padres could barely touch Jon Gray on Saturday night. That became apparent when they struck out four times — in one inning.
Gray fanned a franchise-record 16 and pitched a four-hitter to lead the Colorado Rockies to an 8-0 victory over the Padres.
Gray (10-8) threw 113 pitches in surpassing Darryl Kile’s 14-strikeout performance on Aug.t 20, 1998.
“He was really tough to hit tonight,” San Diego first baseman Wil Myers said. “Great slider, and I think his fastball made his slider better tonight with how well he commanded both sides of the plate. It’s the best I’ve seen him throw.”
Gray struck out four batters in the second inning, including a strikeout on a passed ball to Padres outfielder Jon Jay. He tied Bruce Ruffin (July 25, 1996) as the only other Colorado pitcher to accomplish the feat.
The hard-throwing 24-year-old then fanned two more in the third for his sixth strikeout in a row, the franchise’s most in a single game. He had 14 Ks after seven and tacked on two more in the ninth for the team record.
“It was just one of those games where we were dominated,” San Diego manager Andy Green said. “We basically couldn’t get anything going offensively. He was dominant.”
Edwin Jackson (4-6) gave up 10 hits and eight runs in 4 1/3 innings. The Padres did not put a runner in scoring position as they were shut out for the 15th time this season.
Tom Murphy, meanwhile, homered twice and had five RBIs for the Rockies. Nolan Arenado added his NL-leading 38th home run of the season.
“At the end of the day I did a bad job of executing pitches,” Jackson said. “Behind in the count and ahead in the count I constantly got beat by the long ball.”
The Rockies took control early when Arenado hit a two-run homer that hit the left-field concourse with two outs in the first. David Dahl then kept the inning going with a double and Murphy homered to give Colorado a 4-0 lead.
Later, Charlie Blackmon hit an RBI triple in the fourth and Murphy hit a three-run shot in the fifth for his first multihomer game of his career.
Colorado has won the first two games in the three-game series, which included an 8-7 walk-off win on Friday night.
SADNESS
The Padres announced after the game that third baseman Yangervis Solarte’s 31-year-old wife, Yuliett, died Saturday due to complications from her fight against cancer. The two have three children.
Solarte thanked people on Twitter for their support late Saturday night. Solarte had missed the last two games for San Diego.
TRAINER’S ROOM
RHP Jarred Cosart (right hamstring injury and groin strain) will start on Sunday for the Padres after he was pulled from his last start in the fourth inning.
“His leg is fine and we are going to proceed with the rotation,” Green said.
Green also said that RHP Tyson Ross (shoulder) is not expected to return this season. … C Derek Norris left the game in the fifth with a sprained left middle finger.
“He is pretty resilient,” Green said, “we will see how he is.”
UP NEXT
The final meeting of the year between the NL West foes will match Cosart and RHP Chad Bettis. Cosart (0-3, 5.16 ERA) allowed 10 runs in 7 2/3 innings in his last two starts. Bettis (12-7, 4.78), meanwhile, is 8-2 with a 3.99 ERA since June 15.
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