Márquez homers off Darvish, pitches Rockies past Padres 5-3

SAN DIEGO -- — Germán Márquez got the best of Yu Darvish on the mound and at the plate.

Márquez outpitched Darvish and hit a 418-foot home run off his fellow All-Star to lead the Colorado Rockies to a 5-3 victory Saturday night against the San Diego Padres.

Brendan Rodgers and Elias Díaz also homered off Darvish for the Rockies, who beat the Padres for the second straight night and have won four of their last five games against San Diego.

Díaz homered leading off the fifth, his 11th. With one out, Márquez drove a 2-1 slider to a planter in front of the batter’s eye in straightaway center for a 4-2 lead. It was his second career homer and first since 2018.

“I love batting,” Márquez said. “Darvish is a good pitcher, one of the best and so hitting a homer against him is amazing to me. I still can’t believe it.”

Asked what was going through his mind during his trot, he said: “Nothing. Trust me, nothing. I can’t still believe it that I hit that pitch so high and it was far. I feel right now happy. It was amazing.”

Said manager Bud Black: “Overall I thought he threw the ball well and made one big swing for the homer. That was impressive. That ball was hit well. Germán showed some power."

The Padres placed electrifying shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. on the 10-day disabled list before the game, a day after he partially dislocated his left shoulder for the third time this season. Tatis, who started the All-Star Game, leads the NL with 31 home runs and 23 stolen bases. He’s hitting .292 with 70 RBI. Coincidentally, it was Tatis bobblehead night at Petco Park.

Márquez (9-8) held San Diego to two runs and four hits in six innings, struck out seven and walked four to snap a two-start losing streak.

“It was a hard-fought win for him,” Black said. “He went up against a very good pitcher in Darvish, who’s having a great year, and he outpitched him."

Darvish (7-6) also went six, allowing five runs and five hits, with eight strikeouts and two walks. Darvish lost for the third straight start and for the fourth time in five starts. He hasn't won since June 21 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Márquez's last pitch of the night was a called third strike to Jurickson Profar with the bases loaded to end the sixth. Profar reacted angrily and Padres manager Jayce Tingler ran out to vent and was ejected by plate umpire Manny Gonzalez.

Daniel Bard pitched the ninth for his 16th save, giving up an RBI single to pinch-hitter Austin Nola.

Márquez pitched a perfect inning in the All-Star Game in his home ballpark. Darvish was named an All-Star but didn't make the trip due to hip and back tightness.

Rodgers homered with two outs in the third for a 2-0 lead. It was his ninth and followed Charlie Blackmon's RBI groundout.

Darvish has allowed nine homers in his last five starts.

“It’s been kind of the trend for me, especially against righties," Darvish said through an interpreter. “The sliders, the last couple of games I’ve been missing the spots there.”

Connor Joe, who grew up in suburban Poway, hit an RBI single in the sixth.

Márquez's only major mistake was allowing All-Star Jake Cronenworth's two-run homer to right with one out in the third, his 15th. Cronenworth, starting at shortstop in place of Tatis, did a little hop coming out of the batter's box and followed it with a bat flip.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Padres: RHP Chris Paddack, who had been scheduled to start Sunday, was placed on the IL with a left oblique strain, retroactive to Wednesday and RHP Nabil Crismatt was optioned to Triple-A El Paso. The Padres recalled RHPs Miguel Diaz and RHP Reiss Knehr from El Paso and added OF Jake Marisnick to the 26-man roster. Marisnick was obtained in a trade with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night.

UP NEXT

Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (8-5, 3.69) is scheduled to start the series finale Sunday while the Padres will go with Knehr (0-0, 4.91). Knehr made his big league debut with a start against the Rockies on July 9.

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