Dull. Boring. Lifeless. Use whatever adjective you like to describe the Rockies’ tepid 7-1 loss to the Padres Friday at Petco Park.
The Rockies managed just six hits, all singles, in the loss. They only managed to get a runner to third base and put two men on base the same inning, not to mention score, against Padres mop up relievers Luis Perdomo and Gerardo Reyes, who combined to cough up the Rockies lone run in the top of the ninth. On an RBI ground out, no less. In other words, not a good offensive performance for the visitors.
Padres starter Cal Quantrill had the Rockies’ number Friday night, pitching seven shutout innings, allowing the five singles and no walks while striking out five. Quantrill threw 102 pitches, 71 for strikes.
Freeland solid
If there was a silver lining to the very dark cloud of this game, it was another step in the right direction for Kyle Freeland. The Rockies lefty allowed three runs, all earned, on eight hits in six innings of work, walking a pair and striking out three. It was not back to 2018 form for Freeland, but it was progress, which is all you can ask for in what has become a lost season for both Freeland and the Rockies.
Oberg implodes
Given the team’s recent struggles, Rockies manager Bud Black elected to let closer Scott Oberg work the bottom of the eighth in order to stay fresh. To say it did not go well would be an understatement.
In his inning of work, Oberg allowed three hits and a walk, with all four baserunners coming around to score, three of them on a pinch-hit home run from Josh Naylor. It took Oberg 35 pitches to navigate the inning.
Looking ahead
The Rockies will look to snap their four-game losing skid tomorrow in San Diego, but to do so they will need to beat Padres ace Chris Paddack. Chi Chi Gonzalez takes the mound for the Rockies Saturday in a game slated to start at 6:40 p.m. Mountain time.