Merrill hits 3-run homer as the Padres outlast Moniak and the Rockies 9-6

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Colorado Rockies' Mickey Moniak (22) is congratulated by Tyler Freeman (2) and Ezequiel Tovar (14) after hitting a three-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Orlando Ramirez)

Colorado Rockies' Mickey Moniak celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the San Diego Padres during the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Orlando Ramirez) — Colorado Rockies' Mickey Moniak (22) is congratulated by Tyler Freeman (2) and Ezequiel Tovar (14) after hitting a three-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Orlando Ramirez)

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7:06 PM on Sunday, September 14

The Associated Press

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jackson Merrill hit a three-run home run and the San Diego Padres withstood a career-high, five-RBIs performance by Mickey Moniak to beat the lowly Colorado Rockies 9-6 on Sunday and take three of four.

San Diego came in trailing the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers by 2 1/2 games in the NL West. The Padres hold the second of three National League wild cards. The Rockies have the worst record in the majors at 41-109.

Moniak went 4 for 4 with two homers and an RBI single, and stole two bases. He starred at La Costa Canyon High in Carlsbad before being taken by Philadelphia with the No. 1 pick overall in the 2016 amateur draft.

With the Rockies trailing 7-0, Moniak hit a leadoff shot off Yu Darvish (4-5) in the fourth. After Darvish put two runners on opening the sixth, reliever Jeremiah Estrada came on and Moniak greeted him with a three-run shot, his 21st.

Ezequiel Tovar hit an RBI double with two outs in the seventh and Moniak singled him in to pull the Rockies to 7-6.

San Diego's Gavin Sheets hit a two-run double in the eighth.

Merrill's opposite-field shot to left off Germán Márquez (3-14) gave the Padres a 6-0 lead with no outs in the second.

San Diego took a 3-0 lead in the first on four singles and a walk, including Jake Cronenworth's bases-loaded RBI bunt single and Jose Iglesias's two-run base hit.

Rockies interim manager Warren Schaeffer was ejected by plate umpire James Jean after Kyle Farmer took a called third strike for the third out.

Key moment

With a runner on first and Moniak on deck, Robert Suarez struck out Tovar for his 38th save.

Key stat

The Padres scored 95 runs in 13 games against the Rockies this season.

Up next

Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (4-15, 4.97 ERA) is set to start Tuesday night against the Marlins.

Padres RHP Michael King (4-2, 2.87) is expected to start Tuesday night at the New York Mets.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb