Fireworks lit up the downtown sky before the San Diego Padres home opener on Friday night. Unfortunately, for the home team, there was more pop before the game, than from the Friars’ bats during it.
Colorado’s Jason Hirsch, pitching in his Rockies debut after coming over from Houston in the off-season, tossed a brilliant game serving up six strong innings while striking out eight and giving up only one run in a 4-3 win.
Kaz Matsui got the scoring started in the third inning, when he slapped a triple into the right field corner, plating Willy Taveras. Left fielder Terrmel Sledge tied the game in the fifth with a solo home run.
The loss also spoiled the debut of San Diego’s future Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux, who gave up only one run through five innings before getting knocked around for three runs in the sixth, capped off by a Matt Holiday two-run home run.
“I caught too much of the plate,” Maddux said. “[Holiday] hit it, too. Give him credit. It was a hard pitch to hit out but he got a good cut.”
Trailing 4-1 in the ninth inning, the Padres made it interesting when shortstop Khalil Greene blasted a two-run homer to center field to cut the deficit to one. However, the next three batters were retired in order to end the game.
Matsui was the table setter for the Rockies on the night, getting three hits, one run scored, one RBI and two stolen bases. Greene had three hits for the Padres. The game was a sellout, as more than 44,000 attended.