Padres starting pitcher Edinson Volquez struggled in the first inning while Rockies starter Jhoulys Chacin breezed as Colorado trounced San Diego on Sunday, 9-1. The win by the Rockies meant a sweep of the Padres in their second series of the season.
In the bottom of the first, Eric Young doubled and took third base on a Volquez wild pitch. Dexter Fowler then homered and the Rockies led 2-0.
Carlos Gonzalez then doubled, and two outs later Volquez uncorked another wild pitch, sending Gonzalez to third base. Reid Brognac followed with a double which plated Gonzalez and the Rockies took a 3-0 lead after an inning.
The Padres never recovered, although they pulled closer in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs, Jedd Gyorko singed to center field and took second base on a wild pitch by Chacin.
Chris Denorfia then doubled to left field, Gyorko scored, and the Padres trailed the Rockies 3-1. But that was all the Padres could do against the Rockies.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Rockies got the run back on a single by Jordan Pacheco, a sacrifice which put Pacheco at second base, a ground out that moved Pacheco to third, and a bloop single by Jonathan Herrera that scored Pacheco. Volquez was done after six innings.
Joe Thatcher relieved Volquez in the bottom of the seventh and allowed a one out double to Dexter Fowler and a walk to Carlos Gonzalez. Anthony Bass then replaced Thatcher and gave up a three-run bomb to Willin Rosario and the Padres trailed 7-1.
In the bottom of the eighth, Bass continued to yield runs to the Rockies. Chris Nelson singled to open the frame and Jonathan Herrera then tripled home Nelson.
Yorvit Torrealba then singled home Herrera and the Rockies went up 9-1. The Padres got a couple of singles in the top of the ninth inning, but failed to score.
The Rockies pounded out 15 hits against Padres pitching, while the Padres managed 9 hits, but the hits came at the wrong time. San Diego falls to 1-5 while Colorado improves to 5-1.
Notes:
Mark Kotsay and Chris Denorfia are hot early. Kotsay is batting .556 while Denorfia is currently at .417 after six games. Denorfia platoons in right field with Will Venable and Kotsay is primarily used as a pinch hitter, getting the occasional start. Both had two hits yesterday, as did Alexi Amarista and John Baker.
With a day off on Monday, the Padres play their home opener on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the game is mostly sold out, there may be some single-seat tickets left if you don't mind sitting without a pal next to you. Clayton Richard (0-1, 14.54) will throw for the Padres and face Josh Beckett (0-1, 4.50) for the Dodgers. Game time is scheduled for 3:40 PM PDST, but don't be surprised if it starts a little later than that. The game can be heard on radio at 1090 AM or watched on Fox Sports San Diego. Assuming you don't have Time Warner Cable of course, because those of you that are stuck with them already know the drill.
Padres starting pitcher Edinson Volquez struggled in the first inning while Rockies starter Jhoulys Chacin breezed as Colorado trounced San Diego on Sunday, 9-1. The win by the Rockies meant a sweep of the Padres in their second series of the season.
In the bottom of the first, Eric Young doubled and took third base on a Volquez wild pitch. Dexter Fowler then homered and the Rockies led 2-0.
Carlos Gonzalez then doubled, and two outs later Volquez uncorked another wild pitch, sending Gonzalez to third base. Reid Brognac followed with a double which plated Gonzalez and the Rockies took a 3-0 lead after an inning.
The Padres never recovered, although they pulled closer in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs, Jedd Gyorko singed to center field and took second base on a wild pitch by Chacin.
Chris Denorfia then doubled to left field, Gyorko scored, and the Padres trailed the Rockies 3-1. But that was all the Padres could do against the Rockies.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Rockies got the run back on a single by Jordan Pacheco, a sacrifice which put Pacheco at second base, a ground out that moved Pacheco to third, and a bloop single by Jonathan Herrera that scored Pacheco. Volquez was done after six innings.
Joe Thatcher relieved Volquez in the bottom of the seventh and allowed a one out double to Dexter Fowler and a walk to Carlos Gonzalez. Anthony Bass then replaced Thatcher and gave up a three-run bomb to Willin Rosario and the Padres trailed 7-1.
In the bottom of the eighth, Bass continued to yield runs to the Rockies. Chris Nelson singled to open the frame and Jonathan Herrera then tripled home Nelson.
Yorvit Torrealba then singled home Herrera and the Rockies went up 9-1. The Padres got a couple of singles in the top of the ninth inning, but failed to score.
The Rockies pounded out 15 hits against Padres pitching, while the Padres managed 9 hits, but the hits came at the wrong time. San Diego falls to 1-5 while Colorado improves to 5-1.
Notes:
Mark Kotsay and Chris Denorfia are hot early. Kotsay is batting .556 while Denorfia is currently at .417 after six games. Denorfia platoons in right field with Will Venable and Kotsay is primarily used as a pinch hitter, getting the occasional start. Both had two hits yesterday, as did Alexi Amarista and John Baker.
With a day off on Monday, the Padres play their home opener on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the game is mostly sold out, there may be some single-seat tickets left if you don't mind sitting without a pal next to you. Clayton Richard (0-1, 14.54) will throw for the Padres and face Josh Beckett (0-1, 4.50) for the Dodgers. Game time is scheduled for 3:40 PM PDST, but don't be surprised if it starts a little later than that. The game can be heard on radio at 1090 AM or watched on Fox Sports San Diego. Assuming you don't have Time Warner Cable of course, because those of you that are stuck with them already know the drill.