Laureano’s two‑run homer

Ramón Laureano’s two-run homer in the sixth inning helped push the San Diego Padres past the Colorado Rockies 7-2 on Sunday, April 12. (espn.com) Laureano’s shot came after Ty France had already homered, and Jackson Merrill also went deep as San Diego finished a four-game sweep at Petco Park. The Padres improved to 10-6 and won their fifth straight game. (espn.com) The homer gave San Diego a late cushion in a game that turned after starter Nick Pivetta left in the fourth inning with right elbow stiffness. Colorado managed only two hits, with Brett Sullivan’s two-run double accounting for both Rockies runs. (espn.com; espn.com) Laureano had moved into the leadoff spot Sunday as the Padres adjusted their lineup against a left-handed starter. Before the game, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported he was “settling in” atop the order while Fernando Tatis Jr. made another start at second base. (sandiegouniontribune.com) San Diego entered the finale already up 3-0 in the series after a 9-5 win on Saturday, April 11, when Laureano also homered. That gave him home runs in back-to-back games against Colorado during a stretch in which the Padres won eight of nine. (espn.com; mlb.com; espn.com) The swing fit a broader Sunday pattern around Major League Baseball, with late offense deciding multiple games. In San Diego, Laureano’s homer arrived in the sixth and effectively put away a Rockies club that fell to 6-10. (espn.com) For the Padres, the bigger concern after the win was Pivetta’s elbow. But Laureano’s latest homer kept the immediate story simple: San Diego kept scoring, and Colorado kept sliding. (espn.com.au)