DENVER _ Andy Green was in a pinch the first time he ever called on Robbie Erlin, his starting pitcher knocked around for five runs while recording only 10 outs in Coors Field's 2016 season-opener as the Padres searched for their first win for a rookie manager.
Erlin delivered 3 2/3 shutout innings in a come-from-behind victory that April afternoon, another quality start and a dud before Tommy John surgery ended that season.
The pitcher that returned on the other side of the knife is proving to be every bit as reliable as the Padres begin drawing up their plans for 2019.
"These ... starts have given us a glimpse of what he could be going into next year," Green said before Erlin turned in five workman like innings in a 4-3 win over the Rockies on Tuesday at Coors Field. "That becomes a guy who's had some time in the big leagues, stabilizing a bunch of young guys who will be entering the rotation. We're pleased to see what he's doing.
"The opportunity sits out there the rest of the year to continue to show it."
Even while allowing three runs _ more than he had in any start since his re-entering the rotation _ Tuesday's start was a textbook example.
Erlin threw only 60 pitches in five innings, 42 of them cut through the strike zone and none of them added up to a walk. Of the five hits he allowed, the only ones the 27-year-old paid for arrived in the third and fifth innings.
Charlie Blackmon sparked a two-out rally with a triple to right, D.J. LeMahieu cashed him in with an infield single that Freddy Galvis nearly turned into an out and Nolan Arenado doubled in a run on a ball that center fielder Manuel Margot whiffed on as he tracked it into the right-center alley.
Erlin would not get to face the heart of the Rockies order again.
He struck out the side after Chris Iannetta's leadoff homer in the fifth and gave way to the Padres' new-look bullpen.
Each of Green's moves clicked.
Right-hander Robert Stock sat down four hitters without incident, left-hander Jose Castillo fetched two outs in the seventh, right-hander Craig Stammen left the bases loaded in the eighth and Kirby Yates rebounded from giving up two game-losing homers last week with a scoreless ninth for his fifth save.
Erlin and the bullpen had the lead because the Padres again came up with enough loud hits at Coors Field.
Freddy Galvis doubled in his first game as a leadoff hitter against the left-handed Tyler Anderson to open the game and scored on Eric Hosmer's 438-foot blast to center, his 13th of the year.
Galvis added a sacrifice fly in the second and Austin Hedges untied a 3-3 game in the sixth with his 10th homer of the year.
Hosmer's blast was his third in eight career games at Coors Field. He entered the game with a 1.309 OPS at the Rockies' home yard.
Hedges has hit homered twice here this year.
