The San Diego Padres are arguably the hottest team in baseball, having won 14 of 17 games in April, and open up a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies.
The San Diego Padres are rolling into a three-game road series against the Colorado Rockies after taking two of three games and its series against the Los Angeles Angels.
The Padres have won 10 of its last 11 and 14 of 17 games in April, establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with. After having its eight-game winning streak snapped by the Angels in the series opener, the Padres bounced back to knock off the Halos 4-1 and 2-1 to win the series.
Right-hander Michael King won a pitcher’s duel against Los Angeles’ Walbert Urena, who was making his first career Major League Baseball start, by pitching five scoreless innings with six strikeouts. Of course, madman closer and National League Cy Young candidate Mason Miller was involved and pitched another scoreless inning with two strikeouts (shocker) as well.
San Diego scored just six runs across the three games against the Angels, but the pitching staff allowed just one run in each of the final two games, a recipe for success even with limited offense.
The Padres will ride its good vibes into Colorado as the club takes on its NL West rivals less than two weeks after San Diego swept the Rockies in a four-game set. The pitching matchup for the opener is a rematch between Colorado right-hander Jimmy Herget and San Diego righty Randy Vasquez.
Herget pitched a perfect inning as an opener before turning it over to right-hander Chase Dollander, who threw 4.1 innings of one-run ball on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Expect the same during this meeting.
Herget made two other appearances in the series, including the final game of the series in which he opened again. Herget scattered a hit over a scoreless frame in game three, but the Padres finally tagged him for a run on a hit, walk and hit by pitch in the finale.
Herget hit left fielder Ramon Laureano with a pitch to begin the game before right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. singled and center fielder Jackson Merrill sacrifice bunted to move the runners to second and third base. Third baseman Manny Machado then knocked Laureano in with a sacrifice fly for the first of seven runs scored by the Padres before shortstop Xander Bogaerts walked and designated hitter Nick Castellanos flew out to end the inning.
Vasquez was impressive against the Rockies when he faced them on April 9, throwing 5.2 innings and allowing one run on seven hits with eight strikeouts. It was his third consecutive great start, but his last time out was his worst outing by far, albeit not terrible. He threw just four innings and allowed four runs on five hits and four walks with six punchouts, earning a no-decision against the Seattle Mariners.
First pitch is at 5:40 p.m. PDT on MLB.TV and regional sports networks.