(My Sportsbook) - The
San Diego Padres haven't been so hot as of late and will try to stop a three-game slide Tuesday against the
Colorado Rockies in the second test of a three-game series at Coors Field.
San Diego suffered a 12-7 loss last night in the opener of this series and didn't receive much help from starting pitcher Chris Young. The lanky righty lasted just three-plus innings and gave up a career-high eight runs and seven hits to suffer the loss, while walking five batters and striking out three.
Jody Gerut went 3-for-5 with a homer and scored three times for the Padres, who opened a seven-game road trip on a sour note. Chase Headley had two RBI and a run scored in defeat, and Brian Giles, Adrian Gonzalez, Luis Rodriguez and Kevin Kouzmanoff each recorded an RBI.
The Padres, who will visit Los Angeles for four games on the trip, will send Chad Gaudin to the mound tonight for his 2009 debut. Gaudin joined San Diego earlier this month after the Chicago Cubs released the right-hander. Gaudin spent time with Oakland and the Cubs last season and is 0-0 with a 3.86 earned run average in two games (one start) against Colorado.
Colorado will resume a six-game homestand tonight and has won two straight following a three-game losing streak. In Monday's victory versus the Friars, Ian Stewart drove in three runs and Todd Helton, Garrett Atkins, Brad Hawpe, and Clint Barmes each had two RBI in a winning cause.
Starter Jason Hammel lasted three-plus innings, giving up five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits in his first start of the year for Colorado. Hammel, who was starting in place of injured Franklin Morales, walked three and struck out two. Jason Grilli pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for the win and help the Rockies to a 2-2 record on their residency.
Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa is still in search of his first win of the season and will get the nod this evening. De La Rosa last took the ball on April 22 at Arizona and was saddled with the loss for giving up two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings of his team's 2-0 loss. De La Rosa fell to 0-2 on the season with a 3.78 ERA in three outings.
The left-hander has faced San Diego five times in his career (one start) and is 0-1 with a 6.55 earned run average over 11 innings.
These two NL West rivals split 18 meetings last season, with the Rockies winning five of nine at home.
