MLB: San Diego 7, Colorado 6

DENVER, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- Matt Stairs had a pinch-hit home run and Heath Bell scrambled to his 42nd save Tuesday in San Diego's critical 7-6 win over division rival Colorado.

The win was San Diego's second in a row over the Rockies, who had won 10 in a row coming into the series, and maintained the Padres' narrow lead in the National League West.

The Padres left the field a half-game ahead of the Giants, who were trailing Los Angeles late in their game at San Francisco. The Rockies were 3 1/2 games off the pace.

Stairs drove in two runs in the eighth inning with a two-run homer and Nick Hundley brought Miguel Tejada in on a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning. The insurance run paid off when the Rockies scored twice in the ninth inning off Bell.

A game-ending double play snuffed out the Colorado rally and gave Jon Garland (14-11) his first win in his last three starts. Garland allowed three runs -- one earned -- on four hits and struck out six in seven innings.

Colorado starter Jason Hammel (10-8) took the loss after giving up four runs on 10 hits in four innings. Carlos Gonzalez went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs.