Pivetta dominates as Padres bats explode late to beat Rockies 8-0
Apr 11, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) hits a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Chadd Cady-Imagn Images
San Diego, CA – Petco Park
The Padres released the unfortunate news of Jake Cronenworth hitting the 10-day injured list with a fractured rib. However, they received some positive news as well, as Fernando Tatis Jr. returned to the lineup after leaving the game Tuesday in Sacramento and not playing in the series finale Wednesday.
Nick Pivetta looked to bounce back after a bad start in Chicago. Colorado countered with All-Star German Marquez.
For the first fourth and a half innings, Marquez and Pivetta engaged in a throwback pitcher’s duel.
It wasn’t until the bottom of the fifth that either offense showed signs of life.
Then, the floodgates opened for the Padres. When playing a team not as talented or deep as the Padres, like the Rockies, patience is key. Opportunities to pounce and take a lead will eventually arrive.
The Padres did just that. Xander Bogaerts led off the inning with a single and stole second. Jose Iglesias, who is subbing in for the injured Cronenworth, singled him home. Elias Diaz later broke open the game a bit more with a two-run single. Fernando Tatis Jr. showed his shoulder was feeling just fine, lacing an RBI single himself and then stealing second. Manny Machado slapped a ground-rule double to get Tatis home.
Overall, the Friars scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth to essentially turn the lights out on Colorado.
Meanwhile, on the mound, Pivetta did not give them an inch. He tossed seven shutout innings, allowing just three hits, one walk, while striking out 10. His 19 whiffs ranked the most in all of baseball on Thursday, per Baseball Savant.
Nick Pivetta's 10th K pic.twitter.com/bsdzHkvO8L
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 12, 2025
The Padres were not done, even after scoring six in the fifth. With two outs in the sixth, Tatis once again showed he is healthy with a 112.8 mph rocket home run, which ended up being the highest exit velocity of any batted ball around all the league on Friday.
Fernando Tatis Jr. has a sold-out Petco Park ROCKING!
(via @Padres)pic.twitter.com/0WYRujdZir
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 12, 2025
That gave the Padres a 7-0 lead. Gavin Sheets felt left out and launched a homer off of reliever Angel Chivilli as well. Overall, the Padres hit the ball exceptionally hard against Rockies’ pitching. Seven times, the Friars put a ball in play at a higher exit velocity than 105.0 mph.
The Padres cruised to an 8-0 win thanks to Pivetta, along with Yuki Matsui and Alek Jacob, to mop it up. This gave the Padres an 11-3 record, which is currently the best in all of Major League Baseball.
Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.