Colorado @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 4, 2016 ) Colorado 3, San Diego 4

It already has been a long season for the San Diego Padres, who try for a three-game sweep when they host the struggling Colorado Rockies on Sunday without the pitcher who they thought they would build their rotation around. San Diego (23-34) traded right-hander James Shields — Sunday's scheduled starter — to the Chicago White Sox on Saturday prior to it's 4-3 victory over Colorado after Shields matched a career high by allowing 10 runs in a 16-4 loss to Seattle on Tuesday.

Shields' swan song with the Padres drew some eyebrow-raising comments from team chairman Ron Fowler, who told reporters "to have a starter like Shields perform as poorly as he did is an embarrassment to the team, an embarrassment to him. It's about as frustrating as it can get. In a normal environment, if you have performed as well as we have over the last three years, you'd probably be unemployed. But it's baseball, with guaranteed contracts. We've got to get through it.'' San Diego is usually a bit happier with the Rockies in town as it is 7-0-2 in its last nine home series versus Colorado. The season is slipping away from the Rockies (24-31), who have allowed 59 runs in their last eight games — losing seven, including the first two of their six-game road trip through southern California. Colorado right-hander Jon Gray, the third overall pick in the 2013 draft, goes for his third straight victory Sunday as he enjoys the first winning streak of his career.

TV: 9:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Jon Gray (3-2, 5.76 ERA) vs. Padres RH Luis Perdomo (1-1, 10.04)

Gray allowed three runs and five hits while walking three in six innings of a 17-4 victory over Cincinnati on Tuesday. The 24-year-old Oklahoman, who has 49 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings this season, recorded quality starts in five of his last six turns after permitting 11 runs in 8 2/3 frames over his first two outings of the season. Gray lost 2-1 at San Diego on May 2 despite striking out a career-high 11 in six innings and is 0-1 with a 1.69 ERA in three starts versus the Padres.

Perdomo has appeared in 15 games this season and lost his only start when he allowed four runs and eight hits while walking six in five innings of a 9-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 22. The rookie 23-year-old Dominican hasn't pitched since Tuesday, when he allowed six runs and six hits (three home runs) in relief of Shields. Perdomo has faced Colorado once, allowing one hit and striking out one in a scoreless inning of San Diego's 16-3 victory at Coors Field on April 9.

WALK-OFFS

1. Padres RHP Fernando Rodney hasn't allowed an earned run in 21 1/3 innings this season after earning his 11th save in as many chances Saturday.

2. Colorado CF Charlie Blackmon extended his career-best on-base streak to 30 games Saturday with a two-run double.

3. San Diego acquired RHP Erik Johnson (0-2, 6.94 ERA in two 2016 starts; 7-4, 4.17 career) and 17-year-old SS prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. from Chicago.

PREDICTION: Padres 3, Rockies 2