The San Diego Padres play their home games at sea level and have developed problems winning in the mile-high altitude of Denver.
The Padres will look to halt a 10-game losing streak at Coors Field when they face the Colorado Rockies on Monday night in the opener of a four-game series.
Colorado dominated San Diego in the lone games played in Denver this season. The Rockies clubbed eight homers while outscoring the Padres 23-11 in a three-game set from June 17-19.
Overall, Colorado has won the past five meetings and has a 5-2 record against San Diego this season.
The Padres are struggling in all locations as they arrive in the Rocky Mountains. San Diego has dropped 11 of its last 16 contests to fall eight games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.
The Padres had just nine hits — only one for extra bases — while losing their last two games against the San Francisco Giants, including Sunday’s horrific 12-0 loss.
“We’re beat up right now a little bit,” San Diego manager Bob Melvin said afterward. “Like any team at this point, you have some periods in the season when it looks like this, and you try to make the best of it.”
The Padres have scored two or fewer runs in eight of their past 10 games. San Diego has scored 21 runs during the stretch.
“Hopefully Colorado will be a place for us to start swinging the bats good again,” Melvin said.
The Rockies head home after taking three of four from the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“In this series, we got some big hits,” Colorado manager Bud Black said after Sunday’s 3-2 triumph. “We kept our heads on and kept playing with a focus.”
Colorado played the last two games without first baseman C.J. Cron (left wrist) and shortstop Jose Iglesias (head). Cron was named to the National League All-Star team on Sunday, the first such honor of his nine-year career.
“I’m so focused at-bat to at-bat,” Cron said. “I just want to help the team win. I want to be productive in the middle of the order. I want to drive the ball and drive in runs. It’s been OK just to start the season. I can do a little bit better, still.”
Cron hadn’t previously missed a game before being drilled on the wrist by Arizona’s Zac Gallen on Friday night. He leads Colorado with 20 homers and 66 RBIs.
Black said the expectation is that both Cron and Iglesias (999 career hits) can return to the lineup on Monday.
Hot-hitting Kris Bryant departed after 7 1/2 innings on Sunday due to cramping issues. He has smacked four homers in the past six games. Bryant also may be placed on the paternity list Monday.
San Diego will start left-hander Sean Manaea (3-4, 4.18 ERA), who is making his third career start at Coors Field.
He lost both of those outings as a member of the Oakland Athletics. He has a 5.06 ERA in 10 2/3 innings in Denver.
Iglesias is 5-for-11 against Manaea.
The 30-year-old Manaea has just one victory in his past 12 starts.
He lost to the Seattle Mariners on July 4 when he allowed four runs and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. He also walked four.
Right-hander Jose Urena (0-0, 2.51) will be making his second start since joining the Rockies. He pitched well versus the Los Angeles Dodgers last Wednesday when he gave up one run and five hits over 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision.
Urena made four relief appearances for the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this season before being designated for assignment. The Rockies claimed him, and he made five Triple-A starts while building up his arm prior to last week’s recall.
Urena, 30, is 1-3 with a 3.77 ERA in five career starts against San Diego. Eric Hosmer is 5-for-9 with a homer against him.
–Field Level Media