Padres Series Recap: Rockies Win 2 of 3 From Padres at Home
The San Diego Padres are coming of losing two out of three at Coors Field. This was the First series the Colorado Rockies have taken from the Padres all season long in three previous tries.
Even with the series loss, the Padres are still 7-5 against the Rockies overall this season. The Padres really did not play bad baseball in this series. We actually saw many bright spots throughout the weekend. The losses in this series were just simply clean hard-fought losses against a respectable opponent. Now I’m not saying that the Rockies are the best team in the world. However, playing the Rockies at Coors Field is no easy task. The Padres did what was possible. They also delivered us with a very exiting game in game one of this series.
Overall it wasn’t a bad series. Certainly the best thing we saw had to be Christian Friedrich performance on Sunday afternoon. Friedrich has had some good games this season, but this had to be his best one yet. The lefty would go six innings, strike out nine and only allow an unearned run. Friedrich solidified his position to stay on the pitching rotation for the season moving forward. Overall this was a solid series. I mean I can’t say it was the best because we did lose it, but it wasn’t that bad if you consider the play of the team.
Game 1: Andrew, Wil and a Reliever named Luis
Game one was quite an interesting game to kick 0ff the weekend in Colorado. Andrew Cashner would be the man on the mound for the Padres. He wouldn’t last long as he would only get an out and then be pulled from the game. It would then be later determined that Andrew would have back and neck tightness. Well that wasn’t a great start to the series. Luis Perdomo would then take over. Nolan Arenado would take him yard as soon as he got into the game. The Rockies would take the lead 2-0. Things were looking quite grim for the Pads at that point. The Padres would bring it back in the top of the third. They would manage to get a couple of runs off of some small ball type plays. The score would be tied at two a piece. Melvin Upton Jr. would then homer in the top of the fourth and give the Padres the edge, 3-2.
The Rockies would quickly respond in the bottom of the fourth. A throwing error by Luis Perdomo would allow Carlos Gonzalez to score. Former Friar, Nick Hundley would then broaden the score even more. He would get an RBI single to drive in Trevor Story and make the score 4-3 Rockies. That would be the last run allowed by Perdomo. Overall Perdomo would look solid on the mound. He would still look shaky with that dash of inexperience. But overall he would have a solid start. He would throw five and two-thirds and allow three earned runs with seven strikeouts and only one walk allowed. Jon Gray would continue his dominance over the Padres though. He would throw seven innings, only allow one earned run, strike out seven and not allow a single walk. Gray has been amazing against the Padres all year long. He continued that trend on Friday night’s game. The next run of the game wouldn’t come until the eighth inning. Mark Reynolds would net himself an RBI single off of Kevin Quackenbush and make the score 5-3.
It seemed like all hope was lost for the Friars headed into the ninth inning. Jake McGee would be on the mound with a nice two run lead. Christian Bethancourt would be the first man up. However he and the next batter, Derek Norris would both end up generating outs. This looked like a secure L in the Padres record book. However, Alexei Ramirez would keep the game alive with a single. Alexi Amarista would then make things interesting with another single. There would be runners on first and second for Jon Jay. “The Federalist” would not disappoint and bag himself a ground-rule double down the left field line. The Padres would now be down by only a run. Wil Myers would be up to the plate with runners on second and third base. Now this was a scary thought. Myers had struck out with the bases loaded in the ninth inning earlier in the year against the Phillies. Is he really the man you want at the plate? Myers handled the business and went above and beyond. Myers would take McGee deep and get a three run home run. The Padres would now be up by a score of 7-5. Fernando Rodney would come in the bottom of the ninth and of course take care of business. Rodney would seal the deal and shoot the arrow to end the game. This would be a very exiting game for the fans and for the Padres. Great team effort overall to get the win. The Padres definitely started off the series the right way.
Game 2: Erik Johnson‘s Padres Debut
The Padres would start things off nicely against Tyler Chatwood. They would get a couple of runs via Yangervis Solarte and Melvin Upton. That lead however would not last even a single inning. Erik Johnson would start his first career game as a San Diego Padre. As predicted he wouldn’t look so sharp. Now its really hard to judge someone on a start in Coors Field. So don’t be so quick as to judge Johnson right away. Johnson would immediately struggle as Carlos Gonzalez would blast a three run home run off of him. the score would be 3-2 Rockies. The next run of the game wouldn’t come until the fifth inning. The Padres would tie it up at three. Unfortunately the Rockies would quickly respond in the bottom of the fifth.
Charlie Blackmon would blast his seventh home run of the season against Erik Johnson. The Rockies would take the lead again, 4-3. Then Carlos Gonzalez would hit a blooper to drive in DJ LeMahieu and make the score 5-3. Johnson would have a rough day on the mound. He would pitch four and two thirds and allow five runs, only strike out three and allow nine hits. Again this all looks really bad but it was at Coors Field. That blooper by Cargo would turn out to be the last run of the game. The bullpen would look solid for the Padres. Carlos Villanueva would pitch two and a third scoreless frames. Brandon Maurer would then strike out the side in his lone inning of work. The bullpen for the Rockies unfortunately would also be lights out. They would go two and third and only allow a hit. Young Rox reliever Carlos Estevez would record his first career save as well. Overall this really wasn’t a bad loss. It was simply just a loss. This game really didn’t frustrate me in any way. The Padres just were slightly outplayed. Overall a great bout by the two teams.
Game Three: The Rubber Match
Game three of this series turned out to be quite the pitching duel. Christian Friedrich would be the man on the mound for the Friars. The former Rockie would shine at Coors Field. He would throw six innings and only give up two hits and an unearned run. Friedrich would also mange to strike out nine Rockies batters. To add to it, Friedrich would have a run of retiring 15 consecutive batters at one point in the game. Friedrich proved yet again that he definitely belongs on the Padres rotation. Eddie Butler would be scratched from his start for the Rox on Sunday afternoon. Tyler Anderson would be making his MLB debut in his place. Anderson looked absolutely marvelous. He would go six and a third and only give up a run.
The first run of the game would come until the sixth inning. The bases would be loaded with Christian Friedrich on the mound. He would walk in a run making it 1-0. However the run would turn out to be unearned because of a previous fielding error by Alexei Ramirez. Friedrich would pitch himself out of trouble and only allow that run in the inning. The Padres would quickly retaliate in the top of the seventh inning. Jon Jay would bag an RBI single to tie things up at a run a piece.
Friedrich would be done for the day, and Kevin Quackenbush would now be on the mound. Mark Reynolds would take him yard in the 7th and give the Rox the lead 2-1. For the second straight day Quack would allow an earned run. That run would unfortunately turn out to be the decisive run of the game. Both offenses would be quiet throughout the game. Two relievers would need to be used for the Rockies in the ninth inning to close out the game. Jason Motte and Boone Logan would end the game and secure the Rockies the series. This would be the first series the Rockies have won against the Padres. Overall the game on Sunday afternoon wouldn’t necessarily be a bad one. Sure the offense could have done a lot better, considering it is Coors Field. But at the same time, it wasn’t a bad loss. Much like Saturday’s game it was simply a loss and that’s all it was.
Storylines
Luis Perdomo On the Staff
The big thing that occurred in this series is the injury to Andrew Cashner. The pitching rotation has been dealt several blows, literally since opening day. The good thing is the Padres seemingly have always had someone waiting to take over that spot in the rotation. Whether it’s in El Paso or in the bullpen they have someone ready to go. Luis Perdomo will now be given the chance to be in the pitching rotation. Perdomo has been the man who has had to grind it out all season with spot starts and long outings out of the bullpen. Perdomo is definitely a hard worker there’s no denying that. The problem has always been whether or not he should be in the majors. He hasn’t always been sharp, but that’s not really necessary on a last place team. Perdomo will start on Wednesday against the Miami Marlins. This will not be an easy task, but it also shouldn’t be impossible. I mean it’s better than starting against the Nationals, that’s for sure. Perdomo really did look solid after taking over for Cashner. I mean only giving up three runs at Coors Field, really isn’t too bad at all. Perdomo really is a guy I am rooting for, just based on all the hard work he puts in. I mean the kid deserves a shot. Hopefully he can put in a nice start against the Fish.
On a completely unrelated note, I just wanted to say R.I.P to all of those who lost their lives on Saturday night’s horrific shooting in Orlando. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.
Francisco, 26, Chula Vista/Tijuana. I have been a Padres fan all my life, did most of the series previews and recaps in the Padres’ 2016 season for EVT. Now I focus more on the local soccer scene. Tijuana Xolos, San Diego Loyal, San Diego Wave.