Padres-Rockies: Padres Get Much Needed Win Over Rockies

The San Diego Padres needed this win, they needed to get out of the funk they were in and they needed to get their confidence back.

They got a great pitching effort from starter Josh Geer, as well as a walkoff RBI double from right fielder Brian Giles in the 10th inning, as the Padres defeated the Colorado Rockies 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Geer had a couple of tough outings but the young right hander pitched like he had something to prove. He threw 108 pitches through eight innings, giving up just one run on five hits, walking two and striking out three. The lone run coming on a game tying solo home run from Chris Ianetta in the eighth inning , the same guy that hit a grand slam home run a night earlier off Padres' reliever Cla Meredith.

There was also a Heath Bell sighting last night at Petco Park, it was Bell's first appearance in a game since April 28th. Even though he had a lot of time off, Bell looked as sharp as ever. The Padres' closer pitched the ninth and tenth inning, giving up one hit and striking out four, running his fastball up to 93 MPH a few times.

The Padres didn't waste any time getting on the board against Rockies' starter Aaron Cook. Giles, who had been moved to the leadoff spot for just the third time this year, singled and would be followed by a David Eckstein double to left. After Scott Hairston lined out and an intentional walk was issued to Adrian Gonzalez, Jody Gerut would hit a sac fly to left, scoring Giles and putting the Padres ahead, 1-0.

It looked like Josh Geer was going to make that 1-0 lead hold up the entire night, giving up just four hits after seven innings of work, prompting manager Bud Black to stay with him into the eighth inning, deciding against going with his shakey bullpen.

Rockies' catcher Chris Ianetta would be the first batter Geer would face in the eighth inning and when Geer threw a fastball that tailed in to the Ianetta's hot zone, he didn't miss it, hitting it into the second deck in left field.

“I wish I could have that one pitch back,” Geer told MLB.com. “That’s really his hot zone.”

Geer would be done after eight impressive innings, the next question would be, who was going to come out of the bullpen to keep it a tie game. Padre fans had to be happy when they saw Heath Bell come sprinting in to start the ninth inning. He didn't disappoint, striking out Smith and Atkins in the ninth and Ianetta and Barmes in the tenth, looking just as dominant as ever.

In the tenth, Edgar Gonzalez would work a lead walk off Rockies reliever and former Padre Alan Embree, setting the stage for Brian Giles to face his former teammate. Embree tried to throw Giles a fastball on the inner half, but Giles turned on it and laced it to right center field, the deepest part of Petco Park, scoring Gonzalez from first and giving the Padres a 2-1 victory.

Even though the Padres picked up the win, it was in front of the smallest crowd ever at Petco Park since it opened in 2004. An announced crowd of 13,646 on Tuesday broke the previous night's record low of 14,717 announced on Monday night, though it's no surprise with the way this team is playing.

After concluding their two game set with the Rockies, the Padres (12-15) will welcome in the Arizona Diamondbacks (11-16) who bring in a three game losing streak to Petco Park on Wednesday night.

The Padres will have Jake Peavy (2-3, 4.58), who's coming off his best start of the season, on the hill, against Diamondback's right hander Jon Garland (2-1, 4.94).