Ubaldo Jimenez, the Colorado Rockies’ ace and baseball’s best pitcher so far this year, was forced to do something last night in San Diego that he hadn’t had to do all year: bounce back after getting roughed up on the mound.

Starting his first game since giving up six runs to the Boston Red Sox last week, Jimenez was selected to start against the division-leading San Diego Padres. Things started off OK, and Jimenez carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning. But then the San Diego bats came alive, scoring four quick runs and landing Jimenez an early seat on the bench (recap via the San Diego Union Tribune).

The Padres added two more runs after Jimenez left, but the Rockies bats were alive all night, and they escaped with a 10-6 win. Purple Row has the breakdown on just how big the Rockies’ offensive explosion was at Petco Park: four home runs and 13 hits.

The win was big in that it stopped the bleeding from a tough series in Anaheim against the Angels, and it closes the Padres’ six-game lead on the Rockies to five.