SAN DIEGO (AP) – Todd Helton hit his third career grand slam, and the Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 4-2 Saturday night for their fourth consecutive victory.

Helton’s home run in the fifth inning sliced down the left-field line and just made it into the second deck of the Western Metal Supply Company building that borders the left-field foul pole.

The Rockies, with the NL’s worst road record at 18-43, have won four straight on the road and six of seven overall. The win also allowed Colorado to set a franchise record by winning its fourth straight road series.

Sun-woo Kim (3-2), making his second start for the Rockies since being claimed off waivers on Aug. 5, held the Padres to one run and four hits in five innings. The right-hander struck out seven and walked one. Kim, who threw 71 pitches, was on a pitch count of 70 pitches.

David Cortes pitched the ninth for his second save in two chances.

Brian Lawrence (7-13) allowed just two singles until the fifth, which Omar Quintanilla and Danny Ardoin opened with back-to-back singles.

Kim followed with a sacrifice bunt before Cory Sullivan was hit by a pitch to load the bases. After working the count to 3-1, Helton reached outside and went the opposite way for his 14th homer.

Helton is hitting .381 (8-for-21) with three home runs, three doubles and eight RBIs in five games at Petco Park this season.

The loss cut San Diego’s lead in the NL West to 51/2 games over the Arizona Diamondbacks, who beat Philadelphia 2-0. The Padres dropped to 63-65, making it the latest date that a division leader has had a losing record.

Lawrence gave up five hits in seven innings. He struck out three and walked none while allowing more than one run for the first time in three starts.

San Diego threatened in the eighth inning when Joe Randa hit a one-out single and Brian Giles followed with a double down the left-field line. Scott Dohmann replaced Jose Acevedo and gave up an RBI single to Ryan Klesko to cut the lead to 4-2.

Dohmann got Mark Loretta to pop out and ended the threat when he struck out Xavier Nady.

Miguel Olivo put the Padres ahead in the second inning when he hit a two-out single to drive in Nady, who doubled and went to third on Kim’s throwing error.

Notes: In 15 career games at Petco Park, Helton is hitting . 339 (19-for-56) with five home runs, four doubles and 13 RBIs. … The Padres honored longtime broadcaster Jerry Coleman before the game for his recent induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

AP-ES-08-28-05 0037EDT

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