Norris' 2-run double lifts Padres over Rockies, 7-6

DENVER (AP) Matt Kemp and the San Diego Padres are mastering the come-from-behind victory in the first month of the season.

Derek Norris hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the eighth inning and the San Diego Padres rallied to beat the Colorado Rockies 7-6 on Tuesday night.

Clint Barmes homered and Wil Myers had three hits for San Diego, which has won three straight and six of seven.

The Padres are 10-5 for the first time since 1998, which is also the last time they reached the World Series. They've come from behind in six wins.

''I'm real proud of this team,'' Kemp said. ''Every game I think we've been behind and we have at least fought to get back in the game. It shows the character of our team that no teams can take us lightly. We're always going to stay in it and try to win games.''

Nick Hundley hit his first homer as a Rockie and also tripled. Colorado has lost five straight after starting the season 7-2.

The struggling Rockies used a three-run fifth to take a 5-2 lead but the bullpen couldn't hold it. The Padres got one in the seventh and then went up in the eighth.

Pinch-hitter Yangervis Solarte singled home a run, and after a failed safety squeeze left runners at first and second with two outs, Myers tied it with a single. Norris, who had two hits, followed with a two-run double off Boone Logan (0-1) to give the Padres a 7-5 lead.

''Derek's ball to right-center was big,'' San Diego manager Bud Black said. ''Great swing, great at-bat. He's got that in his game.''

Norris had two doubles for the second straight game.

Hundley led off the ninth with a home run off Craig Kimbrel, but the righty retired the next three batters for his fifth save.

Brandon Maurer (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh inning to get the win.

Charlie Blackmon had a two-run triple for Colorado.

''We're playing good teams but we haven't played well,'' Hundley said. ''The first 10 games of the season we were making a lot of plays and playing good defense. We'll get back to that.''

Barmes led off the third with his first home run since Sept. 11, 2013, to put San Diego ahead. Kemp's RBI double later in the inning made it 2-0.

The Rockies tied it in the fourth on a triple by Hundley and a groundout by D.J. LeMahieu.

San Diego was poised to break it open in the fifth when Colorado's defense bailed out starter Tyler Matzek. After the first two batters walked, Myers singled to right and Barmes was tagged out in a rundown between third and home.

Rafael Ynoa's error at third loaded the bases but Matzek got Kemp to ground into an inning-ending double play.

THE DEFENSE RESTS

Kemp silenced anyone critical of the Padres' defense with a diving catch on Hundley's drive leading off the seventh. Kemp laid out to glove the ball that was headed for extra bases and helped keep the game close.

''I got a pretty good jump on the ball,'' Kemp said. ''Just made an effort and got to it.''

TRAINER'S ROOM

Padres: RHP Ian Kennedy joined the team in Denver on Tuesday and is on track to come off the 15-day DL when he's eligible Saturday. Manager Bud Black said he didn't talk to Kennedy before batting practice Tuesday but did say ''he's ready,'' after throwing 81 pitches in an extended spring training game Monday.

Rockies: 3B Nolan Arenado (left wrist) and OF Corey Dickerson (left plantar faciitis) were both out of the starting lineup Tuesday. Arenado said his sore left wrist felt better after taking swings off the tee. Dickerson has been bothered by the plantar faciitis since spring training but he doesn't think it's serious. He pinch-hit in the ninth.

UP NEXT

Padres: RHP James Shields (2-0) will try to continue his strong start with his new team. Shields entered Tuesday with 24 strikeouts in three starts, which was tied for fourth in the NL. He has pitched at least six innings in each of his three starts.

Rockies: RHP Kyle Kendrick (1-2) had an impressive start on opening day but struggled in his next two starts. He allowed a career-high eight earned runs against the Cubs on April 11 in his first Coors Field start as a Rockie. He was roughed up for six runs against the Dodgers on Saturday.