DENVER — A flip switched for Austin Gomber after he went to St. Louis in early May to face the team that drafted him and developed him into a major league pitcher.

He had waited for this chance to be a consistent starter, quietly lurking in the shadows for his entire baseball career. He got the chance with the Rockies this season, after he was traded in exchange for Nolan Arenado. But he had to be patient again, as his outings at the beginning of the season didn’t live up to his expectations.

In his first seven starts of the season, he had a 6.35 ERA with 20 walks, including giving up five runs that Sunday in May to the Cardinals. But, a little over two months into the season, he’s figured things out.

“I felt like I wasn’t giving myself the best chance to have success,” Gomber said. “I just said, ‘Hey I’m going to do something different.'”

He’s already started a career-high 14 games, and he had another stellar outing Monday as he pitched eight shutout innings against the Padres. The Rockies only scored three runs, but it was just enough to win 3-2.

“I feel like up until St. Louis I hadn’t been me,” Gomber said. “I hadn’t pitched how I pitched, hadn’t attacked how I attack. … I feel like I was pitching to a scouting report instead of pitching to my strengths.”

The rest of the rotation has shown signs of weaknesses lately, with Chi Chi González, Kyle Freeland and Germán Márquez all allowing eight earned runs in their last outings. But not Gomber.

In his seven starts since St. Louis, he’s held down a 1.31 ERA with just three walks. He made small adjustments to his delivery, tweaking his step out of his windup. But the main difference, he noted, has just been time. He’s had a chance to adjust to life as part of the rotation, and to learn how to call his own game, an opportunity he didn’t get in St. Louis, and he’s pitched consistently with Elías Díaz behind home plate.

“I think early on, once he got settled into spring training and once we started the regular season, I think he tried too hard,” manager Bud Black said. “Now, I think he’s got it together with a calmness and poise and a competitiveness.”

As part of this process, he’s increased the use of his change-up, from just 7.4% in 2020 to 16.6% this year. He got two strikeouts on that pitch Monday, with the other two coming on a slider and fastball. He maintained even use of his four pitches against the Padres, throwing his change-up, slider, fastball and signature curveball. He pitched eight innings for the second time this season.

He’s also figured out Coors Field, a spot that can be difficult for pitchers to adjust their spin rates. He has a 0.95 ERA in five starts at his home stadium. He’s pitched 23.1 consecutive scoreless innings at Coors, the second-most in franchise history.

“He listens, and can apply coaching,” Black said. “I think that’s been a huge part of his growth. I think what he’s doing now he can continue.”

On offense, Trevor Story inched closer to another milestone. He had his 399th RBI. CJ Cron, who hasn’t looked as sharp since coming back from the injured list, hit his first home run since May 4. Ryan McMahon hit a RBI double in the eighth to add an insurance run onto the Rockies’ lead.

Daniel Bard, who hadn’t allowed an earned run since May 12, allowed a two-run home run from Trent Grisham in the top of the ninth, but held it together for the rest of the inning to save the game.