DENVER _ Garrett Richards pitched like a man with a healthy amount of pride who also knows that not everyone in the San Diego Padres starting rotation will necessarily be there in a few weeks.
The veteran right-hander went longer Monday night at Coors Field than he had in his previous two starts combined, shutting out the Colorado Rockies for 3 2/3 innings before he was removed for his own good.
With two of their new players in the starting lineup and their new closer finishing the game, the Padres beat the Rockies 6-0 in the finale of their four-game series at Coors Field.
The Padres (22-15) won three times here since Friday to move a season-best seven games above .500 and increase their lead to four games over the Rockies (17-18) in the race for second place in the National League West, which earns an automatic playoff berth this season.
New catcher Austin Nola had a single and a walk in four plate appearances. Mitch Moreland, who started at first base, was hitless in his first four at-bats as a Padre.
Nola singled and scored the game's first run in the third inning, having moved to third on Jurickson Profar's single and jogging home when Fernando Tatis Jr. tripled. Manny Machado's sacrifice fly scored Tatis.
Wil Myers led off the fourth inning with a home run. Jake Cronenworth followed with his third triple of the season and scored on Profar's single.
Tatis scored on a bloop double by designated hitter Eric Hosmer in the seventh.
It was more than enough for Richards and the four relievers who followed him.
Adrian Morejon replaced Richards and, with help from a double play in the sixth and another in the seventh, went three innings before Pierce Johnson replaced him with a runner on second and two outs in the seventh. Johnson walked Matt Kemp before striking out Ryan McMahon.
Morejon was credited with his first major league victory.
Drew Pomeranz had to work through some command issues that may have been partly attributable to the fairly heavy rain that was falling by that time. The first two Rockies batters reached base before the left-hander struck out three straight to run his seasonlong scoreless streak to 11 innings.
Trevor Rosenthal, acquired in a trade Saturday, allowed one hit in the ninth.
After two starts in which he allowed seven runs on eight hits and five walks in a total of 2 2/3 innings, Richards was back to making batters curse as they failed to square up his various zigging and zagging pitches.
Richards allowed one hit and seemed somewhat surprised when manager Jayce Tingler walked to the mound with two outs in the fourth inning.
The 32-year-old was working on three days' rest rather than the customary four or even five. He had thrown just 33 pitches in his two-thirds of an inning Thursday against the Seattle Mariners. But, especially with an off day Tuesday providing cushion for the bullpen, the Padres evidently felt no need to push Richards after he showed he was still a viable part of their plans.
With the acquisition of Mike Clevinger on Monday, the Padres now have the five starters they have lacked since Joey Lucchesi was optioned to the alternate site two weeks into the season. Thing is, they ostensibly have need for a fifth starter just three more times in the regular season and then presumably not at all should they make the postseason.
"That," Tingler said earlier Monday of decisions about the rotation, "will depend on how we're throwing the ball individually and collectively."
