Rockies at Padres
The San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies will not soon forget the last time they faced off, with the teams combining to put on a record-setting offensive showcase. The fortunes of both National League West rivals have gone downhill since as they occupy the bottom two rungs in the division entering Thursday's opener of a four-game set in San Diego.
The teams came away with a split after erupting for a combined 92 runs and 131 hits at Coors Field in mid-June -- the highest run output for a four-game series since 1900. "It was the most offensive series I've ever seen," said Colorado center fielder Charlie Blackmon, who became the first player in more than 100 years with 15 hits in a four-game set. The Rockies have dropped seven of 10 after they were outscored 25-9 in a two-game sweep at Houston while the Padres dipped to 4-8 in their last 12 after splitting a two-game interleague set in Seattle. San Diego rookie Fernando Tatis Jr. homered for the second time in as many days and has gone deep five times during an 11-game hitting streak.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado), FS San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Jon Gray (10-7, 4.03 ERA) vs. Padres LH Eric Lauer (6-8, 4.43)
Gray escaped with a no-decision despite a rocky outing against San Francisco on Saturday, when he lasted only four innings and gave up four runs and nine hits. He was superb in his previous turn versus the Los Angeles Dodgers, giving up one run and three hits over a season-high eight innings for his only win in his last six starts. Wil Myers is 14-for-34 with three homers off Gray, who struck out 10 over six innings of four-run ball to beat San Diego on June 13.
Lauer earned his first victory in two months last time out at Dodger Stadium, permitting two runs and three hits over six innings, marking the fourth time in six starts he allowed two runs or fewer. He was hammered in two starts in Colorado this season, getting shelled for five runs and 10 hits on June 15 and eight runs on eight hits on May 10, failing to pitch beyond three innings each time. Blackmon is 6-for-10 and Trevor Story 4-for-6 with two homers off Lauer.
WALK-OFFS
1. Story has hit safely in six straight contests and homered in four of the past five.
2. Tatis collected his 100th hit in his 306th at-bat, the fastest to 100 by any player in franchise history.
3. Blackmon is 21-for-44 with seven homers and 16 RBIs in nine games of the season series.