DENVER – Matt Kemp homered twice and drove in six runs, and the San Diego Padres ended Trevor Story’s home run streak in a 16-3 rout of the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night.
Story, who hit six home runs since making his debut opening day, was the first major leaguer to homer in each of his first four games. That run ended with a 1-for-5, three-strikeout performance – the shortstop also made his first error.
Kemp’s solo shot to left in the third inning traveled 448 feet, and his three-run shot in the fourth over the newly raised fences in the right field alley went 428 feet. Both came off lefty Jorge De La Rosa (0-1).
Kemp has homered seven times off De La Rosa and 39 times against Colorado in his career. It was Kemp’s eighth career multihomer game and his fourth against Colorado but first for San Diego.
A day after going 4-for-6 with a homer and four RBIs, Kemp went 3-for-5 and scored twice.
Cory Spangenberg also hit a three-run homer off De La Rosa in the six-run fourth when the Padres took a 7-0 lead. Kemp added a two-run single off Jason Gurka in the sixth, and Wil Myers hit the longest homer of the night, a 453-footer off Chad Qualls in a six-run ninth.
Drew Pomeranz (1-0) gave up two runs and four hits in five innings. He struck out seven and walked three.
After starting the season with a major league record 30-inning scoreless streak, the Padres have scored 29 runs in their last 15 innings at Coors Field.
Before the game, Padres manager Andy Green said nobody had figured out how to pitch to Story, who homered twice Friday night.
“We’ve gone back and watched minor league video. We found some ways he’s gotten out in the past, but he’s not falling prey to those right now,” Green said.
“It’s some pretty good hitters hitting behind him that just accepted some Silver Slugger awards here. It’s not easy just to say let’s put this kid on first base and deal with Carlos Gonzalez and Nolan Arenado,” he said.
The Padres didn’t have to do that because Pomeranz struck out Story twice and got him on a flyout to right. He singled off Carlos Villanueva in the seventh. Luis Perdomo struck him out in the ninth, sending most of what remained of the crowd streaming to the exits with an out to go.
Colorado did win three challenges, including two safe calls by first base umpire Marvin Hudson that were reversed upon replay in the sixth.
Rockies righty Jon Gray (abdominal strain) will make his rehab start for Class A Modesto on Sunday. He was supposed to pitch Saturday but rain forced the Rockies to reschedule. It’s likely he’ll need two rehab starts before returning from the DL.
In Sunday’s matchup, the Padres will start James Shields (0-1, 4.50 ERA). Colorado’s Chad Bettis (0-0. 8.44 ERA) will take the mound at Coors Field.
