It is difficult for a team to get a sweep on the road, so although the Padres losing 6-3 to the Rockies on Sunday at Coors Field is disappointing it is not altogether unexpected.
Padres starter James Shields, who moved up a day to start when Tyson Ross was placed on the 15-day disabled list, only allowed six hits in 7.0 innings but half of those hits left the ballpark. Shields allowed home runs to Carlos Gonzalez, Nolan Arenado and Ryan Raburn to take his second loss of the season.
The Friars did not give us the same offensive fireworks they displayed the last two games but did make a game of it late. In the 8th inning Jabari Blash drew a pinch-hit walk and scored on a double by Cory Spangenberg to make it a 4-3 game.
In the bottom of the inning Brandon Maurer came on and gave up two more home runs, both solo shots. One was the second of the game by Gonzalez and the other was ripped by … who else? Rookie shortstop Trevor Story got another one.
Story has seven home runs in his team’s first six games of the season, becoming the first rookie in MLB history to do that. Another Rockies rookie also had an impact. Vista native Tony Wolters got his first MLB start behind the plate and singled in the 5th inning for his first big league base hit.
The Padres fall to 2-4 on the season and will start a four-game series in Philadelphia on Monday. Andrew Cashner gets the start against Aaron Nola.
