Padres at Rockies
The scoreboard operator figures to be busy again Saturday when the Colorado Rockies continue their three-game series against the visiting San Diego Padres. The teams have combined for 148 runs and 221 hits in their eight games at Coors Field this season, with Colorado winning five of the matchups.
Trevor Story homered twice and Nolan Arenado added a two-run blast in Friday’s 10-8 victory as the Rockies snapped their eight-game streak of scoring three or fewer runs. Garrett Hampson went 3-for-5 with a solo homer while batting in front of Arenado, who is batting .419 with eight home runs during his 18-game on-base streak. San Diego has allowed an average of 10.4 runs per game in eight contests at Coors Field this season and could use a quality outing from Eric Lauer on Saturday after Joey Lucchesi failed to complete four innings in the series opener. Austin Hedges belted his 11th home run in the loss while Luis Urias extended his career-long hitting streak to seven games with two hits and two RBIs.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Eric Lauer (8-8, 4.41 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Peter Lambert (2-6, 6.86)
Lauer turned in another strong outing last Sunday with six innings of one-run ball in a no-decision against Colorado at Petco Park. The 24-year-old native of Ohio has gone 2-0 with a 3.68 ERA over his last four starts covering 22 innings. Story is 6-for-12 with two homers and eight RBIs against Lauer, who is 0-3 with an 8.75 ERA in six career starts versus Colorado – including 0-3 with a 19.73 mark in three outings at Coors Field.
Lambert nearly matched Lauer in their matchup last Sunday, bouncing back from a rough outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers by allowing one run over five innings against the Padres. The 22-year-old rookie has lost his last six decisions and owns a troubling 54-to-32 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 81 1/3 innings this season. “The only way to learn is if you keep pitching,” Lambert told reporters. “I’m learning a lot right now, and that’s best for me.”
WALK-OFFS
1. Story has nine multi-home run games over the past two seasons, tied for the most in the National League over that span with Los Angeles Dodgers OF Joc Pederson.
2. San Diego OF Wil Myers has hit safely in 12 of his past 13 games since Aug. 31, batting .429 with three homers and 10 RBIs over that stretch.
3. Colorado OF David Dahl (ankle) confirmed Friday that he will not return this season.