Since the start of spring training, Kevin Towers added eight pitchers from outside the organization, but none made the Padres general manager any happier than the April 12 signing of right-hander Chad Gaudin.
Gaudin, 26, had been released by the Cubs, and several teams were bidding for his services. Towers' pitch included a promise to Gaudin that the Padres would view him only as a starter. Days after Gaudin signed, and before he had made his first pitch in the Padres system, Towers said: "I think he's going to be prominent in our rotation."
Gaudin was Tuesday night at Coors Field in Denver in his first major league start since last May 3.
After just two outings with Class AAA Portland (8 2/3 innings, no runs), Gaudin was promoted to the Padres on Monday to take the injured Shawn Hill's slot in the rotation.
On Tuesday night, Gaudin threw five shutout innings against the Rockies, allowing three hits, walking four and striking out five.
"He struggled with command of his fastball early," catcher Nick Hundley said. "When that came on later, Chad was rolling."
His lack of previous work forced him out after five innings and 83 pitches.
PADRES 4, ROCKIES 3: SS Luis Rodriguez singled home Nick Hundley (leadoff triple) with the winning run with one out in the top of the ninth, and he helped closer Heath Bell out of a jam in the bottom of the inning as the Padres ended a three-game losing streak and won for just the second time in eight games. Pinch runner Jason Marquis was on second with two outs in the bottom of the ninth when Garrett Atkins grounded a ball into the hole to Rodriguez's right. But instead of going to first, Rodriguez threw out Marquis going to third standing up.
