Colorado @ San Diego preview
Petco Park
Last Meeting ( May 4, 2010 ) Colorado 2, San Diego 3
The surprise team in the National League over the first sixth of the season is on pace to win 102 games.
While it's unlikely that the San Diego Padres will indeed top the century mark in wins, their 17-10 record at the one-sixth pole is impressive for a team that most forecasters pegged as one of the worst teams in baseball.
There’s still plenty of time for a collapse, of course, but the Padres keep hinting that they intend to be part of the NL West race deep into the summer.
The Padres and Colorado Rockies conclude a three-game series on Wednesday night, one day after the Padres grinded out a 3-2 victory with a ninth-inning single by Chase Headley.
The formula of pitching, speed and timely hitting has worked splendidly for the Padres.
The Padres have one of the lowest ERAs (2.81) in baseball, lead the National League in steals (31) and continue to get clutch hits when games are on the line.
Headley’s game-winning hit on Tuesday came immediately after the team’s best hitter, Adrian Gonzalez, was walked intentionally. The strategy of walking Gonzalez to get to Headley has been foiled all four times this season – Headley is now 3-for-3 (plus a sacrifice fly) with a homer and seven RBIs in such situations.
The Padres’ pitching has persevered nicely despite the loss of No. 2 starter Chris Young to a shoulder injury.
Young allowed just one hit in six innings in his lone start of the season but felt shoulder soreness the following day. He’s been on the disabled list and suffered a setback during a rehab start on Sunday when he lasted just two-thirds of an inning and gave up five runs on two hits and four walks.
Young is expected to undergo an MRI exam later this week.
Lefty Clayton Richard (1-2) will be on the mound Wednesday for the Padres. He has a 3.00 ERA but lost to the Rockies earlier this season when he gave up three runs in seven innings.
Padres’ slayer Aaron Cook will start for Colorado. Cook is 13-4 lifetime against the Padres with a 2.66 ERA.
Cook has been exceptionally tough on the Padres at Petco Park, compiling a 6-1 record and 1.60 ERA in nine starts at the ballpark San Diego has called home since 2004. Two of Cook’s four losses to the Padres came when San Diego still played at Qualcomm Stadium.
Cook (1-3) has struggled in five starts thus far this season. He has a 5.52 ERA and has walked 16 batters in 29 1/3 innings.
Colorado continues to struggle with a lack of power from key hitters Todd Helton (no home runs) and Troy Tulowitzki (one homer). The Rockies are hoping that All-Star outfielder Brad Hawpe (three home runs in just 42 at-bats) will return to action next week. Hawpe is on the disabled list with a quadriceps injury.