What was lost has been found. At least for one Thursday afternoon at San Diego’s Petco Park.

The Rockies’ Ryan McMahon had been searching for his swing, timing and confidence. He discovered all three in Colorado’s 7-3 win over the Padres that halted a five-game losing streak.

McMahon hit a two-run double off Padres All-Star right-hander Joe Musgrove in the third and blasted a three-run homer off Musgrove in the fifth, tying a career-high with five RBIs.

Entering Thursday’s game, McMahon was struggling, having slashed .175/.261/.275 with one home run and three RBIs in 12 games since the All-Star break.

For the first time this season, McMahon started at second base, instead of third, giving usual second baseman Brendan Rodgers the day off. McMahon did not play in Wednesday’s game.

“Any time you get a day off you feel rejuvenated,” McMahon told AT&T SportsNet in San Diego. “We needed this game today and I’m just glad we got a win.”

Manager Bud Black sees signs that McMahon might finally be performing as the Rockies hoped he would when they gave McMahon a six-year, $70 million contract during spring training. McMahon, who hit 24 home runs in 2019 and 23 last season, has hit only nine this season.

“That was good for Ryan and we’ve seen a couple of good swings here,”  Black told reporters in San Diego. “I like the fact that his first hit came on a fastball (inside) and he barreled it up and put it into the (right-field) corner.

“Then he got the three-run homer on a hanging curveball that was, obviously, a game-changer for us. So good for ‘Mac.’ I know there have been times during the season where he’s pressed, based on his own personal expectations and his goals.”

While the Rockies were in dire need of McMahon’s offensive boost, they also needed a stopper if they were going to prevent the Padres from finishing off a rare five-game sweep. Left-hander Kyle Freeland, Colorado’s tenacious technician, was up for the challenge.

He outpitched Musgrove to win his third consecutive game. Freeland pitched 5 2/3 innings, yielding two runs on six hits, striking out seven, walking four and hitting a batter.

“Kyle got the big outs today when he needed to,” Black said, acknowledging that Freeland wasn’t super sharp.

Freeland, who cracked a fingernail in the first inning, said he had trouble commanding his curveball. And he needed 113 pitches, tied for the second-most pitches in a game in his career and his most since 2018.

“It was a lot of pitches and they made adjustments to me from their last start (against me),” Freeland told reporters. “They were very patient at the plate today and they forced me to be inside the zone and make pitches.”

Nonetheless, Freeland delivered again. Over his last three starts, he owns a 2.41 ERA and the lefty has led Colorado to its only three wins since the All-Star break.

Colorado left fielder Sam Hilliard rescued Freeland in the second inning with a sensational catch that changed the game’s direction. After a single by Josh Bell, Brandon Drury stepped up to the plate.

In San Diego’s 9-1 victory over Colorado on Wednesday night, Drury, acquired by the Padres at Tuesday’s trade deadline, hit a grand slam on the first pitch he saw while wearing a Padres uniform.

Thursday, Drury blistered Freeland’s 0-1 changeup for what looked like a certain two-run homer. But Hilliard leaped at the wall and robbed Drury of the homer.

“That could have been a massive momentum-shifter right there,” Freeland said. “Drury hit that grand slam in his first Padres at bat and he came in swinging a hot bat. But Hilliard made an absolutely incredible catch.”

San Diego’s two-run sixth inning began in fluky fashion. Juan Soto led off and skied a flyball between center fielder Yonathan Daza and right fielder Charlie Blackmon. Both outfielders called for the ball, but both backed away at the last moment, giving Soto a soft triple. Josh Bell scored Soto with a single to right and Bell came around to score on singles by Will Myers and Austin Nola. That ended Freeland’s afternoon.

The Rockies, in the midst of playing 18 games in 17 days, open a three-game series at Arizona on Friday night.

On Deck
Rockies RHP German Marquez (6-9, 5.29 ERA) at Diamondbacks LHP Madison Bumgarner (6-10, 3.83)
7:40 p.m. Friday, Chase Field
TV: ATTRM
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM

Marquez has been pitching better of late, but he’s still not sharp. In his last start vs. the Dodgers at Coors Field, the right-hander allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits over six innings. Marquez however, is 2-3 with a 3.69 ERA over his last five starts. He’s faced the D-backs twice this season, going 1-1 with a 3.46 ERA. Both games were at Chase Field. He’s made 20 career starts against Arizona, going 6-6 with a 3.99 ERA, including a 3.69 ERA at Chase Field. He’s dominated the D-backs recently, going 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA over his last six starts.

Despite his record, Bumgarner has had a decent season but was roughed up last Friday at Atlanta, giving up five runs (four earned) on eight hits and three walks while striking out none over six innings. It was Bumgarner’s first outing at Truist Park since he pitched a seven-inning no-hitter there in April 2021. Bumgarner, 33, has an extensive history vs. the Rockies, having faced them 40 times. He’s 19-10 with a 3.37 ERA.

Trending: Shortstop Jose Iglesias continues to impress on the road. He hit 3-for-5 Thursday, boosting his road average to .363, the best in the majors. The best road batting average in franchise history is currently held by Mike Kingery, who hit .362 in 1994. Iglesias has hit safely in nine of his last 11 road games, batting .395 (17-for-43) over that span.

At issue: All-Star first baseman C.J. Cron remains in a funk. He went 0-for-5 with a strikeout Thursday and is hitting .155 (9-for-58) with two doubles and one home run since the All-Star break.

Pitching probables
Saturday: Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (3-6, 4.87) at Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (10-5, 2.87), 6:10 p.m., ATTRM
Sunday: Rockies RHP Jose Urena (1-3, 4.60) at Diamondbacks RHP Zach Davies (2-4, 4.28), 2:10 p.m., ATTRM
Monday: Off day