Rockies 14, Padres 2: Machine running on all cylinders

The Rockies put together their most dominating victory of the season Monday night as they crushed the Padres 14-2 and improved their season record against San Diego to an impressive 11-3.  The win also marked the first four game winning streak for the Rockies since they won eight games in a row back in April.

The 14 run attack was the most runs the Rockies have scored all season, their largest margin of victory since September 25th, 2011 in a 19-3 thrashing of the Astros, and the most runs they've scored since an 18-9 thumping of the Giants back on April 27th, 2012.

It was an excellent night for the 25 and under crowd dressed in purple.  Jhoulys Chacin, who is still just 25 despite pitching in Denver since 2009, continued his recent string of dominance.  Here's the line from his last seven starts in which he's posted a 2.02 ERA over 49 innings.

7/9 @ Padres: 6.0 IP, 1 ER

7/14 @ Dodgers: 6.0 IP, 1 ER

7/23 vs. Marlins: 7.0 IP, 2 ER

7/28 vs. Brewers: 7.0 IP, 3 ER

8/2 @ Pirates: 8.0 IP, 1 ER

8/7 @ Mets: 7.0 IP, 2 ER

8/12 vs. Padres: 8.0 IP, 1 ER

A solo home run from Jaff Decker in the seventh was the only thing that kept a zero out of Chacin's run column tonight.  For Decker, the home run was his first career hit.

This was the exception rather than the rule however as Jhoulys Chacin produced ground ball after ground ball and watched the gorgeous glove work turned in behind him.  Troy Tulowitzki and DJ LeMahieu were especially good up the middle tonight as they combined to make several smooth and spectacular plays that helped prevent any San Diego momentum from forming.

It was also a good night for LeMahieu at the plate.  The tall righty celebrated his 25th birthday earlier this summer, and for the third time this month, LeMahieu produced a three hit effort.  Tonight's contributions included his second home run of the season, a solo shot in the second inning that gave the Rockies a 3-0 lead, a double in the third, a walk in the fifth, and an RBI single in the Rockies six run eighth.

22 year old Nolan Arenado also had a big night as he sprayed the ball all over the park in a four hit effort.  In fact, the only time he didn't reach base tonight was when he lined a shot the other way right at Chris Denorfia to lead off the third inning.

24 year old Wilin Rosario and 24 year old Corey Dickerson each added a pair of hits and Rosario also knocked in three runs.

In total, the Rockies pounded out 17 hits.  The only two starters that didn't record a knock were Charlie Blackmon and Troy Tulowitzki.  For Tulo, the last couple of weeks have become one of the roughest stretches of his career at the plate, as he's now batting just .098 over his last 15 games.  He does have nine walks during this stretch and he's gotten himself into several favorable counts, but he's just not making pitcher's pay for mistake pitches the way he was earlier in the season.

Graph:

Source: FanGraphs

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Record: 56-64

Games Behind: 13.0

Games Left: 42

Record needed to beat Keith Law's prediction: -2-44 (LOL Keith Law)

Record needed to beat 2012: 9-33

Record needed to beat the Vegas Over / Under Number: 16-26

Record needed to finish above .500: 26-16

Number of Home Runs needed for Cargo, Tulo, and Rosario to combine for 100: 38

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This series continues tomorrow at 6:40 pm MT as Eric Stults (8-10, 3.50) takes on Jeff Manship (0-1, 3.60)