Colorado @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 7, 2013 ) San Diego 1, Colorado 9

After out-scoring the San Diego Padres 20-6 in a three-game sweep at Coors Field last weekend, the Colorado Rockies head to Petco Park looking to recapture their swagger. The Rockies are coming off three straight losses to San Francisco, including a 10-0 rout in Wednesday’s series finale. They’re facing a San Diego squad that made news on Thursday when slugger Carlos Quentin sparked a benches-clearing brawl during a 3-2 loss to the Dodgers.

Quentin will surely face a suspension for charging pitcher Zack Greinke, who suffered a broken left collarbone in the fracas. The Padres have scored three or fewer runs in seven of their nine games, but they’re hoping to have third baseman Chase Headley back before the end of the month. Headley (thumb) could begin a rehab assignment as soon as Sunday. The Rockies hold a clear edge in the power department, but veteran Todd Helton is off to a slow start with two hits in his first 20 at-bats.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports (Colorado), Fox Sports San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Jon Garland (1-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Padres RH Tyson Ross (0-1, 4.50 ERA)

Garland is making his second straight start against the Padres after holding them to two runs over six innings last Saturday. The win was Garland’s first in nearly two years after he missed all of last season with a left shoulder injury. Mark Kotsay is 6-for-26 (.231) against Garland, who is 3-4 with a 3.60 ERA in eight career starts against San Diego. Garland has thrown six-plus innings in seven of his eight meetings against the Padres.

Ross squared off against Garland last Saturday, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits in four innings. The 25-year-old Ross, who was acquired from Oakland during the offseason, is set to make his Petco Park debut. He’s gone 0-3 with a 3.62 ERA in eight games (four starts) against National League teams. Ross, who went 2-11 with a 6.50 ERA last season with the Athletics, earned the fifth spot in the rotation after an impressive spring-training performance.

WALK-OFFS

1. Padres C Nick Hundley is 7-for-11 with one home run over his last three games.

2. The Rockies acquired minor league RHP Steven Hensley from the Mariners for RHP Aaron Harang on Thursday.

3. Colorado’s starting pitchers allowed 11 earned runs in 12 2/3 innings during the three-game series in San Francisco.

PREDICTION: Rockies 7, Padres 4