SAN DIEGO-- The Padres' bullpen is proving that the trickle-down effect isn't limited to economics.

Right-hander Cla Meredith said the success of a relief corps that has yet to allow a run this season begins with closer Trevor Hoffman's easygoing attitude and continues from there.

Hoffman might have 483 career saves, but he doesn't act that way, said Meredith. Combine that with a handful of nasty relievers, and voila!

"It all starts at the top with the man over there," Meredith said Sunday after the Padres' 2-1 win over Colorado. "(Hoffman) makes it very easy for us down there. He's just another one of us. That's important to know we're all down there together. I think, collectively, we're seven boys down there rooting for each other. We take a lot of pride in that individually. And when everybody does that as a group, it drives us to success."

The early success borders on the outrageous. Through six games, the Padres' seven relievers are a combined 3-0 with 18 1/3 shutout innings pitched. The group has allowed 12 baserunners, with 12 strikeouts against three walks.

Those efforts have allowed the Padres' offense time to get back into games or provide timely hits to win them. But starting pitcher Jake Peavy offered a warning after Sunday's win, in which the bullpen delivered three innings of hitless relief.

"It's not going to be like this all the time," Peavy said. "You can't expect the boys not to ever give up a run. Anybody we run out there, we have huge confidence in to put up zeroes for us. That's what we're going to have to do win games. Those guys have been awesome."

Cruz the lobbyist

Jose Cruz Jr. was looking for a little help as he rounded first base in the eighth inning.

Seconds before, Cruz's drive into the right-field corner had soared over right fielder Brad Hawpe's glove, appeared to hit the railing above the yellow line and bounded back onto the field.

But as Cruz approached first base, a call still hadn't been made, so he signaled for a home run. First-base umpire Phil Cuzzi finally agreed and told Rockies manager Clint Hurdle as much during a lengthy discussion.

The homer was Cruz's first of the year and only the fourth RBI by a Padres outfielder this season. Cruz has three and Terrmel Sledge has the other.

"I didn't want them to take it away," Cruz said of his lobbying. "I think it was over the yellow line. I'm biased, but it looked that way to me."

Hensley will start

Before the game, manager Bud Black said he hoped the blister on Clay Hensley's right index finger wouldn't keep the right-hander from starting against San Francisco on Tuesday. Afterward, Hensley was definitive.

"We're going on Tuesday," Hensley said. "There's no way I'm not throwing. It hurts more, but you gotta roll with it."