When Fernando Tatis Jr. tested for positive for COVID-19 before Tuesday’s game and contact-tracing protocols knocked Jurickson Profar and Jorge Mateo out of San Diego’s lineup, it looked like maybe the Rockies would catch a break in facing a potent Padre offense.
Manny Machado had other ideas, hitting a two-run homer and a three-run triple to lead San Diego to an 8-1 win on Tuesday night. Five Rockies pitchers combine to give up six walks and the offense only managed three hits on a cold night at Coors Field with the Rockies dropping their fourth straight.
Five Padre pitchers shut down Rockies
The Rockies actually had the lead in this one, jumping out to a 1-0 advantage in the first inning. Raimel Tapia led off the game with a walk and then stole second. Garrett Hampson hit a flyball to move Tapia to third and then Tapia came home to score on a sac grounder by Charlie Blackmon.
Dom Nuñez got a double in the second, but was then stranded. Connor Joe singled in the fifth, but the Padres got a fielder’s choice and a double play to end that threat. Yonathan Daza connected for a pinch-hit single in the sixth to sum up the Rockies night at the plate. For the first time in the season, Blackmon hit third and Trevor Story hit cleanup, but it didn’t lead to much success outside of Blackmon’s sacrifice RBI. San Diego’s bullpen combined for a seven-inning, three-hit shutout with no walks and three strikeouts.
Shorthanded success for San Diego
The Padres entered the game with a short roster and lost Wil Myers in the third. It initially looked like he left the game after hitting his elbow on the outfield wall while making a catch on a Tapia flyout, but we later learned that Myers tested positive for COVID-19. Eric Hosmer also left the game for contract-tracing protocols. Padre starting pitchers Chris Paddack and Joe Musgrove both made pitch-hitting appearances and San Diego ended the game with only one player on their bench, backup catcher Victor Caratini.
Senzatela returns from IL
After missing one start with a right groin strain, Antonio Senzatela returned to action and looked great for three innings. He started off the game by striking out Trent Grisham. Through three, Senzatela had only allowed one hit, while striking out two, and getting six flyouts and one grounder.
In the fourth, Tucupita Marcano and Tommy Pham both reached on two-out singles before Austin Nola walked to load the bases. Then Senzatela came up big with a strikeout against Ha-Seong Kim to end the threat. In the fifth, one of the fly balls that stayed in play earlier in the game flew over the wall when Machado hit a 431-foot, two-run homer to put the Padres up 2-1. Senzatela ended his night with four runs given up on seven hits, two walks, and four strikeouts in five innings. After the game, Bud Black said Senzatela physically felt good after this first game back.
Sixth-inning suffering
Then the wheels came off not only for Senzatela, but also for Tyler Kinley, who was far from must-see form. Senzatela exited after issuing a walk to Marcano and a single to Pham, but Kinley faired even worse. Marcano and Pham came around to score on a sac fly and after a grounder that Trevor Story made a great play on, but he couldn’t get Pham at the plate.
After a sac bunt, Kinley had two outs and still no runs to his name, but then he walked Grisham and Jake Cronenworth to load the bases for Machado, who made him pay with a triple to right center past a diving Hampson. Ben Bowden entered next, giving up a single to Eric Hosmer to drive in another run as the Padres scored six in the sixth.
Up next
The Rockies and Padres will be in action for a double header on Wednesday in order to make up for the rainout on Monday. The first seven-inning game will start at 1:10 p.m. MT, with the second starting 30-45 minutes after the first one ends.