Long Ball Hurts Rockies In 8-4 Loss To Padres
The Colorado Rockies (30-47) lost to the only other National League team with a record below .500 last night, falling to the visiting San Diego Padres (29-50) 8-4. Padres' rookie catcher Yasmani Grandal collected his first two MLB hits, both home runs. The rubber game of the series is this afternoon at 1:10 at Coors Field (TV: Root Sports).
Rockies lefty Christian Friedrich struck out five in five innings, with the only run being Grandal's first homer, a solo shot in the fourth. It came on the heels of Jeff Francis' six scoreless innings in Friday night's 10-2 victory over the Padres. Friedrich had entered with an 11.64 ERA in four starts.
Jeremy Guthrie (3-7) yielded three runs -- Grandal's two-run shot from the left side (his off Friedrich was from the right side) that gave the Padres a 3-2 lead, and the first of Alexi Amarista's two homers for a 4-2 lead in the seventh. Guthrie, who was acquired from the Orioles during the offseason and was the Rockies' Opening Day starter, fell to 1-4 with a 9.96 ERA at home.
Amarista launched a three-run shot off Adam Ottavino in a four-run eighth that proved important.
"We pitched badly from the sixth inning on, because the job that Christian Friedrich did was just exceptional," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said.
Grandal is the first player in Major League history to hit homers from opposite sides of the plate for his first two career hits in the same game.
Official: Saturday's Box Score.
Grandal upstaged Rockies rookie catcher Wilin Rosario, who homered off winning pitcher Edinson Volquez (5-7) to open the bottom of the fifth and improve his total to 13, tops among NL rookies. Rosario also homered Friday night.
After Rosario's homer, Eric Young drew a walk and scored from first when Grandal threw wildly to first on Dexter Fowler's bunt. Padres right fielder Chris Denorfia nailed Fowler at third with a perfect throw, but the Rockies had a 2-1 lead.
Rockies left fielder Carlos Gonzalez extended his hit streak to nine games with a single during a two-run eighth that also included a Jordan Pacheco RBI single and a Chris Nelson RBI double.
Tickets are available for this afternoon's game at Coors Field vs. the San Diego Padres, and can be purchased by calling (800) 388-ROCK, or click here.
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