The Colorado Rockies are 6-32 and owners of a seven-game losing streak, however they delivered a reminder to the San Diego Padres on Friday night that no lead is safe at Coors Field.
“You have to lock in and stay focused for all nine innings in this ballpark,” San Diego designated hitter Gavin Sheets said after his team squandered most of a 13-2 lead in the eighth inning before walking away with a 13-9 decision.
The Padres will attempt to make things a little easier on themselves Saturday night when they try for a series win against Colorado in Denver.
San Diego reached season highs in runs and hits (16) in the series opener with the everyday lineup it had used since early April. The return of Jake Cronenworth from a fractured rib that cost him a month adds to a lineup top-heavy with star power.
It means Sheets, who was batting second at times last month when four everyday players were on the injured list, can go back to hitting seventh. He drove in four runs on Friday night, while teammates Luis Arraez, Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill each rapped out three hits.
With a fortified lineup behind him, right-hander Stephen Kolek (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will aim to produce a successful encore to his first big league start. Kolek fired 5 1/3 scoreless innings Sunday in a 4-0 win at Pittsburgh, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out four.
“It felt like my debut all over again,” said Kolek, who was 3-0 last year as a rookie reliever. “First time getting to do something I haven’t done yet. I was having a lot of fun with it. My mindset was to try and put up as many zeros as I could from the very beginning.”
Kolek faced the Rockies three times out of the bullpen last year, allowing four runs on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings.
Colorado will send right-hander Bradley Blalock (0-1, 8.03) to the mound.
Blalock pitched 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision during a 6-3 loss at San Francisco on May 3, allowing three runs on two hits and two walks while striking out four. Blalock faced the Padres twice last year, giving up one run on six hits in 6 2/3 innings.
The Rockies continued their nightmarish start to the season on Friday night, although they at least showed some pushback with their late rally. They scored five runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth, forcing San Diego to use closer Robert Suarez for the last two outs as he earned his 15th save.
It came one day after a lopsided sweep of a doubleheader at the hands of the Detroit Tigers. That resulted in an emotional plea to their discouraged fans from veteran starting pitcher Kyle Freeland.
“Keep believing in us,” he said.
One bit of good news lately for Colorado has been the hitting of Jordan Beck. His eighth-inning homer Friday night was his sixth since April 24.
–Field Level Media
