Padres at Rockies
The Colorado Rockies pitching staff is struggling and the team dropped three of its last four games while getting off to a slow start on a six-game homestand. The Rockies will try to turn things around when they host the San Diego Padres in the opener of a three-game series on Monday.
Colorado allowed a total of 35 runs in its last three losses, capped by a wild 9-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday in which it burned through seven pitchers and still had a chance to win with the bases loaded in the ninth inning. The Rockies remain potent at the plate led by center fielder Charlie Blackmon, who is tied for the National League lead after slugging his eighth home run on Sunday. The Padres are losers of five of their last six and watched the offense post 15 strikeouts in Sunday's 4-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants. San Diego will try to get its offense going to provide support for right-hander Bryan Mitchell, who opposes Colorado's Chad Bettis on Monday.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Bryan Mitchell (0-2, 5.03 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Chad Bettis (3-0, 1.44)
Mitchell recorded his first quality start of the season against the Dodgers on Tuesday, when he allowed three runs and five hits in six innings without factoring in the decision. The 27-year-old issued three walks in that turn and owns 17 in 19 2/3 total innings. Mitchell spent the previous four seasons in the American League with the New York Yankees and made his NL debut at home against Colorado on April 2, when he was ripped for five runs on eight hits and three walks in five innings.
Bettis is cruising along and enjoyed his best start of the young season at Pittsburgh on Tuesday, when he scattered five hits over 7 1/3 scoreless innings. The Texas Tech product has yet to allow more than two earned runs in an outing and yielded 17 hits in 25 total innings. Bettis went up against Mitchell on April 2 and picked up a win while surrendering two runs on five hits and four walks in five frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Padres placed RF Hunter Renfroe (elbow) on the 10-day DL Sunday, retroactive to April 18.
2. Rockies OF Carlos Gonzalez (hamstring) was placed on the 10-day DL Sunday.
3. The NL West rivals are playing their third series already in 2018, with Colorado leading 4-3.