Rockies Sweep Streaking Padres

DENVER — Neifi Perez hit a grand slam and Larry Walker homered twice, including a two-run shot in a seven-run, second inning, as the Colorado Rockies beat San Diego, 8-6, to sweep a day-night doubleheader Saturday.

The Rockies won the opener, 12-10, to end the Padres’ 14-game winning streak and end Colorado’s nine-game losing skid.

Perez, who hit a three-run homer in the opener, had eight RBIs in the doubleheader. Walker also homered in the opener, giving him three for the day and 24 overall.

Colorado sent 12 men to the plate in the second inning of the nightcap, scoring all seven runs off Heath Murray.

With the bases loaded, pitcher Bobby Jones lined an RBI single and Perez followed with his homer--the first slam of his career and the first by a Colorado batter this season.

Kurt Abbott then singled and Walker hit a 459-foot homer. Walker added a solo shot in the eighth, giving him one more homer than he hit all last season.

In the first game, Vinny Castilla hit a three-run homer and the Rockies built leads of 7-0 and 11-4 before hanging on to stop their losing streak.

Perez and Castilla had four RBIs apiece, and the Rockies’ Kirt Manwaring and the Padres’ Reggie Sanders each had four hits.

San Diego’s 14-game streak was the longest in the majors since Kansas City won 14 in a row in 1994. Colorado’s nine-game slide was its longest since the franchise’s inaugural season in 1993.

After losing to the Padres, 15-3, Friday night, the Rockies hit four homers in the first four innings, accounting for nine runs of an 11-4 lead.

The first game was the makeup of a snowed-out game on April 14.