SAN DIEGO, April 12 (UPI) -- Brian Lawrence struck out eight in six innings and hit his first career home run Friday night to lead the San Diego Padres to a 6-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies.
Lawrence (2-0) allowed five hits and walked three, allowing a home run and a sacrifice fly to Todd Helton. His first career homer came off Darren Oliver in the fourth and have the Padres a 4-2 lead.
Gary Bennett hit a two-run double and drove in three runs for San Diego, which has won four of its last five home games.
The Rockies cut the lead to 6-4 on a two-run single by Chris Stynes off Luther Hackman in the eighth, but Brandon Villafuerte relieved and got Greg Norton to fly out to left field and struck out Ron Belliard to end the threat.
Colorado also threatened in the seventh, but Jesse Orosco got Helton on a pop fly to end the inning.
Helton got another chance in the ninth, coming up with Jay Payton on first base. But Villafuerte struck him out, got Larry Walker to hit into a fielder's choice and struck out Preston Wilson to earn his second save.
The Padres grabbed a 3-1 lead in the first inning when Oliver (1-1) issued two walks with the bases loaded and Bennett hit a sacrifice fly. Oliver allowed six runs, nine hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings.
Bennett went three for three, adding a two-run double in the fifth inning.
