DENVER _ The Padres fought, but they couldn't battle back to complete the sweep Wednesday in Denver.
After a benches-clearing brawl in the third inning resulted in both starting pitchers and three others being ejected, the Rockies scored five runs in that half-inning and held on for a 6-4 victory in the heated finale of the teams' three-game series at Coors Field.
The Padres (4-9) had won successive games for the first time this season leading up to Wednesday's game.
Padres center fielder Manuel Margot was placed on the disabled list before the game after he was hit in the ribs by a Scott Oberg fastball in the ninth inning Tuesday. In Wednesday's second inning, right fielder Hunter Renfroe went down hard but stayed in the game after being struck in the wrist by a pitch from Rockies starter German Marquez. (The Padres also recalled Oberg hit Christian Villanueva with a pitch last week after the Padres third baseman had homered twice.)
Padres starting pitcher Luis Perdomo, who had hit Rockies shortstop Trevor Story to load the bases with two outs in the first inning, threw his first pitch of the third inning behind Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado.
The Rockies star immediately went after Perdomo, and the brouhaha was on.
A good 10 minutes later _ after Perdomo, Marquez, German, Colorado left fielder Gerardo Parra and Padres catcher A.J. Ellis had been ejected _ the Rockies took advantage of two Padres errors to belt reliever Buddy Baumann for five runs (two earned).
A home run by Franchy Cordero, activated off the disabled list Wednesday morning to replace Margot, started a three-run sixth inning for the Padres. Cordero played in center, made an error and had the one hit in four at-bats.
After an out, Eric Hosmer doubled to left field, Jose Pirela beat out a soft grounder and Carlos Asuaje walked to load the bases. Hosmer scored on Hunter Renfroe's grounder, and Pirela raced home safely on a passed ball before Cory Spangenberg struck out to end the inning.
The Rockies went back up by three with a run in the bottom of the sixth.
Hosmer's first home run as a Padre, in the eighth inning, accounted for the final margin.
The Padres were scheduled to fly home after the game and they begin a seven-game homestand Thursday night with the first of four games against San Francisco. The Dodgers visit for three games next week.
