DENVER -- The Rockies' inconsistent offense has been well documented this season. Bats seem to turn to stone when runners are on base, and manager Clint Hurdle has yet to find a lineup combination that produces maximum results.

It's impossible to tell whether the offense will ever regain its form from 2007, when it led the National League with a .280 average, but the bats have shown signs of life lately.

The Rockies exploded for four runs in the ninth inning against Detroit on Saturday and scored eight runs -- the most since scoring 10 on June 17 -- against the Padres on Monday. Hurdle said one of the reasons the Rockies have hit poorly with runners on base is because they're trying to crush the ball rather than settle for base hits. The Rockies were more patient in the ninth against the Tigers, when they scored four runs off five hits and two walks.

"We're finding ways to get on base, but there's still games where we haven't shown as much patience as we need to," Hurdle said. "The mentality is that you have to hit a three-run homer, but why not hit a single so the guy after that can hit a single and the guy after that can hit a single?"

The Rockies used a mixture of bloops and a timely blast to score against the Padres.

Chris Iannetta hit a three-run double in the first inning, and Garrett Atkins hit a triple off the wall in the sixth. Todd Helton chipped away with a double and a single for his first multi-hit game since June 12th. Brad Hawpe, who said he was just trying to make good contact, crushed a three-run home run to dead center field in the third.

"I think we're swinging the bats better," Atkins said. "Hawper, Helton and myself have been swinging better the last couple of days. If we can everyone going, we're going to score a lot of runs."