Four relievers lift White to first win with Rockies

The Colorado Rockies clinched their sixth consecutive series win at Petco Park by beating the San Diego Padres 5-4. Alex White won his first game with the Rockies, working five innings and finishing the fifth with a flourish.

With two runs home and the tying run at second, White struck out Kyle Blanks and Orlando Hudson to end a 93-pitch outing (57 strikes) in which he gave up five, three walks and four runs with six strikeouts.

Josh Roenicke, Huston Street, Rex Brothers each pitched a scoreless inning. Brothers struck out the side in the eighth, getting Alberto Gonzalez and stranding runners on first and second. Rafael Betancourt earned his sixth save and second in two games. He retired the side in order in the ninth with a strikeout, giving Betancourt 66 strikeouts and eight walks in 56 1/3 innings.

Just as he did at Arizona in his last start, White gave up a leadoff homer. This time, it was Will Venable, who circled the bases to open what became a 28-pitch first. With one out, White gave up a single and a walk and a second run on Nick Hundley’s two-out bloop single to right.

White pitched three hitless innings before he walked pinch-hitter Aaron Cunningham to open the fifth. Venable followed with a double, and after Jason Bartlett struck out, Jesus Guzman doubled both runners home before White took care of Blanks and Hudson.

The Rockies made left-hander Cory Luebke throw 37 pitches in the first when they took a 1-0 lead. Dexter Fowler, who went 3-for-5 with two doubles and has 26 extra-base hits in 47 games since being recalled July 15 from Triple-A Colorado Springs, began the game with a double and scored on Carlos Gonzalez‘s one out single. The Rockies quickly netted three runs in the fourth on four straight hits and a sacrifice fly to open the inning against Luebke.

Troy Tulowitzki led off with a double and scored on Todd Helton‘s single. Kevin Kouzmanoff‘s single sent Helton to third. He scored on a double by Ryan Spilborghs, and Chris Iannetta followed with a sacrifice fly.

The Rockies scored what proved to be the winning run in the fifth when Fowler led off with a single and stole second as Carlos Gonzalez was being walked. Tulowitzki singled to score Fowler with his 97th RBI.