DENVER — Randy Vásquez delivered a dominant performance on the mound, throwing seven shutout innings as the San Diego Padres edged the Colorado Rockies 1-0 on Tuesday night at Coors Field. The right-hander allowed only three hits, struck out five batters and issued no walks, rebounding from a rough outing against the Seattle Mariners just days earlier.
The victory improved the Padres to 15-3 against the Rockies since the start of last season, extending their winning streak to seven consecutive games versus Colorado. San Diego has now won 14 of its last 16 games overall after beginning the season with a 2-5 record.
Jake Cronenworth plated the game’s only run in the sixth inning when Rockies starter Chase Dollander walked Manny Machado with the bases loaded and two outs. Dollander, who entered the game with a 2-2 record, struck out nine batters over six innings while throwing a career-high 102 pitches but issued just the one walk.
Adrián Morejón closed out the ninth inning with a perfect frame to earn his first save of the season and the sixth of his eight-year MLB career. Manager Mike Shildt opted for Morejón over usual closer Mason Miller, who has maintained a scoreless streak of 32⅔ innings dating back to last season.
After Hunter Goodman’s RBI single in the fourth inning gave Colorado its only hit off Vásquez through five frames, the Padres retired the final 18 Rockies batters in succession. Fernando Tatís Jr. Led San Diego at the plate with two singles, the only multi-hit effort by either team.
The Rockies have now lost nine of their past 12 games, dropping to 8-14 on the young season. Colorado will look to avoid the series sweep when right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (1-1, 3.92 ERA) takes the ball in Wednesday’s rematch against Walker Buehler (1-1, 4.58).
Vásquez, born November 3, 1998 in Navarrete, Dominican Republic, continues to establish himself as a reliable back-end starter for San Diego following his trade from the New York Yankees in December 2023 as part of the Juan Soto deal. Through the first month of the 2026 season, he holds a 2-0 record with a 1.88 ERA over 28⅔ innings pitched, according to official MLB statistics.
His performance against the Rockies marked his second quality start of the season and lowered his ERA to 1.88, the best among Padres pitchers with at least 20 innings pitched this year. Vásquez has now struck out 30 batters while walking just three in his first five starts of 2026.
Dollander, a 24-year-old right-hander making his 11th career start, had retired 12 consecutive batters before issuing the walk to Machado that led to the Padres’ run. The Rockies’ young starter has shown flashes of promise this season but continues to struggle with command in high-leverage situations.
Morejón’s save preserved what has been one of the NL’s best bullpens through April. San Diego relievers have collectively posted a 2.10 ERA this season, third-best in the National League, with Morejón converting his first two save opportunities of 2026.
Tatís Jr., playing his second full season since returning from injury in 2023, is hitting .289 with three home runs and 11 RBIs through the Padres’ first 20 games. His two singles against the Rockies raised his season hit total to 22.
The Padres will look to carry this momentum into a critical stretch of their schedule, beginning with the series finale against Colorado before embarking on a 10-game road trip that includes series against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves.
For ongoing updates on the Padres’ push for a postseason berth in 2026, fans can follow official team announcements through MLB.com’s San Diego Padres section or the club’s verified social media channels.