The San Diego Padres dismantled the Colorado Rockies Monday night at Coors Feld 13-5. The big win was San Diego’s third win in their last four games in Colorado as the Rockies have struggled to defend their home turf this season.
The Rockies are an even .500 on the season, but are an impressive 9-5 on the road although they are just 3-7 at home. Colorado’s home/road splits have hurt them in the early going of the season with things not getting much better Monday which marked the 8th meeting between the Rockies and Padres in the month of April.
Chad Betts took the mound for the Rockies, looking to provide a strong outing in the first game of the three-game set. Through the early portion of the season, Bettis has been the Rockies best pitcher, posting a record of 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA entering Monday. Bettis had a decent outing, allowing four runs on five hits over five innings pitched.
Average IP for each #Rockies starter so far this season…
Gray: 5.1
Anderson: 5.0
Marquez: 4.1
Bettis: 6.0
Freeland: 5.0Seems pretty clear why the bullpen is already starting to struggle.
— Casey Light (@lightonhisfeet) April 24, 2018
Bettis got out to a rocky start as the Padres plated four runs in the first inning. After recording the first out of the game, Bettis allowed back-to-back hits to Wil Myers and Eric Hosmer with Myers scoring on balk by Bettis to score the first run of the game. Jose Pirela then hit a single and Carlos Asuaje proceded to blast a three-run home run to right field to give San Diego a commanding 4-0 lead out of the gate.
The Rockies were able to slash the Padres lead in half in the following half inning when Nolan Arenado hit a two-run home run to left field.
On a side note, AT&T SportsNet Reporter Jenny Cavnar made history during Monday’s game by becoming one of the only females to do play-by-play for a Major League Baseball game. Here is her call of Arenado’s home run
On another note, Jenny's HR call is pretty great.
Get her in the booth more often, @Rockies! pic.twitter.com/EbnEEKuhsh
— Cut4 (@Cut4) April 24, 2018
Colorado then tied the game in the first inning when Trevor Story cranked a two-run home run to left field to even the score at 4-4 following the opening frame.
After a couple of clean innings, the Rockies pulled ahead in the third as Ian Desmond lined a double to right field to score Story who was able to work a two-out walk.
Colorado was able to keep the game close through the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, but completely collapsed in the seventh, allowing nine runs and eight hits in a half-inning that lasted well over 30 minutes.
The Rockies gave up the lead when relief pitcher Jake McGee surrendered a two-run home run to Franchy Cordero which pushed San Diego ahead 6-5. After a mix of a hit, a walk, and a stolen base, the Padres were pressing to score more runs and bust the game open. Asuaje hit a single to center to score a run, and the Rockies walked yet another batter. From there the Padres hit a pair of two RBI singles in three at-bat’s to push them ahead 11-5. The Padres lineup proceeded to hit around in the inning, and Myers put the icing on the cake when he ripped a two-run double to left field, extending San Diego’s lead to 13-5.
Monday’s contest was ugly through and through for the Rockies who have sputtered out of the gate in 2018. Besides the four earned runs surrendered by Bettis, the Rockies pitchers allowed a combined nine earned runs between McGee and Scott Oberg.
Colorado’s record dropped to just 1-3 on their six-game homestand and are now in danger of dropping their second consecutive series.
NEXT UP: The Rockies and Padres will continue their series at Coors Field tomorrow. Kyle Freeland will face Eric Lauer with first pitch set for 6:40 MDT.