The San Diego Padres played the Colorado Rockies in the first game of a three-game series. Antonio Senzatela pitched for Colorado, and Randy Vasquez pitched for the Friars. It was a very high-scoring evening, and San Diego came away with the win. 

The Padres took the lead right away in the top of the first inning with Manny Machado singling home Fernando Tatis Jr. 

San Diego struck again in the bottom of the third inning. This time, Jackson Merrill doubled (just missing a home run) off the left field wall, bringing in a run. Then, in the same inning, Gavin Sheets hit a three-run double to left field again, bringing in three more, extending the Friars’ lead to five. 

Michael Toglia, who leads the league in strikeouts, hit a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth inning for the Rockies to cut the lead down to four. 

Manny Machado scored after a throwing error from Colorado’s second baseman Adael Amador in the top of the fifth inning. In that same inning, Gavin Sheets hit another double, adding another RBI. Immediately after, Jason Heyward ripped a single to right field, bringing home Sheets. Martin Maldonado hit a two-run home run following Heyward’s at-bat for his second home run of the year, making the score 10-1. 

Gavin Sheets spoke on hitting in Coors Field postgame. “You trust yourself and you understand that the ball is going to fly. You lay back a little bit and try to put some good swings on it and hit the sweet spot,” Sheets said.

Senzatela finished his outing, throwing 4.2 innings, allowing eight runs on nine hits while striking out two. 

Merrill drove home another run in the top of the inning after reaching on a fielder’s choice. Xander Bogaerts then kept the offense going, hitting a sacrifice fly to bring home Machado, bringing the lead to 12-1. Ryan McMahon hit a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the lead down to 11. 

Vasquez ended his night by pitching six innings, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out five. With this outing, Vasquez lowered his season ERA to 3.69. 

In the top of the 8th inning, Jake Cronenworth singled home Brandon Lockridge to add to the lead. It was Cronenworth’s first hit since his return from the injured list. 

In the bottom of the 8th inning, Jordan Beck hit a solo shot off of Padres reliever Sean Reynolds. It was Reynolds’s debut after he missed the season’s beginning due to injury. In this same inning, Kyle Farmer doubled to deep right center, bringing home two runs, cutting the lead down to eight. This ended Reynold’s night as he finished throwing 0.2 innings, allowing four runs on four hits while striking out one. Sean Bouchard then hit a single, bringing home Farmer, which cut the lead down to seven. Brenton Doyle then singled in another run, cutting the lead down to 6. 

In the bottom of the 9th inning, Hunter Goodman tripled in a run to cut the lead down to five. Mickey Moniak then hit a sacrifice fly to bring the lead down to four in San Diego’s favor.

Robert Suarez came in to get the final two outs that the Padres needed to get the win.

Game two of the series will be Saturday at 5:10 Pacific time, when Stephen Kolek of the Padres will face Bradley Blalock of the Rockies. 

Will Eskridge