The Colorado Rockies will go for a three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres on Sunday afternoon in Denver, which is pretty typical these days.
The Rockies have defeated the Padres nine straight times at Coors Field going into Sunday. Colorado has won four straight against the Padres and holds a 4-2 edge over them this season. Last year, the Rockies were 11-8 against San Diego, with seven wins coming at home.
“Each team in the league finds some team in their division that’s tough on them for whatever reason,” Padres interim manager Ryan Flaherty said Saturday. “Certainly, the Rockies have been that for us. Sometimes the best way to address it is not to address it. Those things work themselves out. I don’t know if it’s one reason or another. It’s happened. Some guys are probably aware of it; others aren’t.
“We have to put an end to it.”
The Padres, who stand a half-game behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West, are 39-22 against everyone else this season.
“Collectively, we’ve played some good games against the Padres,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “We were pretty good on the road last weekend in San Diego, not so much against Cleveland. Now, we’re playing good against the Padres again.”
Left-hander Blake Snell (0-3, 5.04 ERA) will start for the Padres on Sunday against Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela (2-3, 4.79).
Snell will make his sixth start of the season since being activated on May 18 after recovering from a left-adductor strain. Senzatela also missed time on the injured list with a lower back strain. This will be his fourth start since returning.
In his past three starts, Senzatela has an 0-1 record with a 5.19 ERA, giving up 10 runs on 27 hits and two walks over 17 1/3 innings pitched. He has struck out 13 in the span.
Senzatela has a career 7-3 record with a 3.30 ERA in 17 career appearances against the Padres. He is 5-1 against them at Coors Field in 10 games (seven starts).
Sunday will be the 27-year-old Senzatela’s 11th start of the season. He has given up 29 runs (25 earned) on 75 hits in 47 innings. He has a .375 opponents’ batting average but has issued only 10 walks and three homers.
Since returning from the injured list, Senzatela is 0-1 in three starts and has allowed 10 runs on 27 hits and two walks with 13 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings for a 5.19 ERA and a 1.673 WHIP and a .355 OBA.
Snell turned in his second-best start of the season against the Rockies on June 12, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks with seven strikeouts over six innings and 94 pitches. He’s finished six innings in only two of his starts. He has given up 15 runs (14 earned) on 21 hits and 13 walks with 29 strikeouts in 25 innings.
Padres manager Bob Melvin remains out, continuing his stay in the COVID-19 health and safety protocol.
“He’s asymptomatic and awaiting on (test) results. He’s ready to get going,” Flaherty said.
–Field Level Media