Rockies at Padres
The San Diego Padres try to keep the momentum going from a series-opening victory when they host the Colorado Rockies on Saturday in the middle contest of a three-game set. San Diego and its new-look lineup began the season 10-5 and appeared to be a bona fide threat to the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants in the National League West, but took a step back by losing seven of its next eight before crushing the Rockies 14-3 on Friday.
San Diego went 11-0-1 in its previous 12 series at Petco Park before Los Angeles and Houston combined to win five of the first six games on a 10-game homestand. Colorado on Friday was a gracious guest as it helped the Padres right their ship by committing three of their four errors in a four-run fourth inning which blew the game open. The Rockies have been outscored 35-9 during their three-game losing streak and have the worst ERA in the NL at 4.98, bidding to accomplish that dubious feat for the fourth straight year. San Diego's Brandon Morrow recorded quality starts in each of his first three outings at home and opposes Jorge De La Rosa, who was much better in his second turn after being rocked by the Padres in his belated season debut.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, MLB Network, ROOT (Colorado), FSN San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Jorge De La Rosa (0-1, 11.57 ERA) vs. Padres RH Brandon Morrow (1-0, 2.67)
De La Rosa received a no-decision after yielding two runs and striking out seven in five innings of a 5-4 loss to San Francisco last Saturday after allowing nine runs (seven earned) and nine hits in two innings of a 14-3 setback to San Diego on April 20. "I stayed in control," the 34-year-old Mexican told the Denver Post after his second start. "I stayed calm and kept the ball down. That was the key." De La Rosa, who started late because of a groin injury, is 8-4 with a 4.87 ERA in 24 games (20 starts) against the Padres and has struggled mightily with Jedd Gyorko (11-for-16, five walks) as well as Matt Kemp (17-for-41, three home runs, 15 RBIs).
Morrow's home ERA sits at 1.29 in three starts after he permitted one run in seven innings of a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. “I feel like I’ve been throwing the ball really well,” the 30-year-old Californian told reporters. “To go out and give the team a chance to win and log innings, that’s what we’re out there to do. I’m healthy now. It feels good to go out there and pitch good ballgames.” Morrow is 0-1 with a 4.20 ERA in three starts against the Rockies, including a no-decision when he yielded five runs in six innings of a 7-6 victory at Coors Field on April 21.
WALK-OFFS
1. San Diego, which scored eight runs in the eighth inning Friday and leads the NL with 119, recorded 65 during the same span to begin the 2014 season.
2. Padres CF Wil Myers leads the majors with 23 runs and has scored twice in each of the last three games.
3. San Diego has won 11 of the last 14 meetings at Petco Park.