Colorado makes it interesting before fifth-straight loss

Queuing up to be the fifth-straight loss on a six-game road trip, Colorado got a taste of victory with pinch hit two-run home run in the seventh before Manuel Margot tagged a center cut fastball 415 ft to put San Diego ahead for good to extend the losing streak.

Jairo Díaz struck out all three hitters in the heart of the Padres lineup during the seventh, but was left exposed in a second inning of work. Manager Bud Black considered a pitching change with a visit to the mound following a leadoff walk, but he stuck with Díaz and was burnt because of it.

The game began to take shape in the sixth inning. Down 5-2, Nolan Arenado provided a two-out single to score Trevor Story, who reached second base on a double to left field. Chad Bettis retired three straight in the bottom of the frame, striking out two.

Chris Iannetta roped a leadoff double in the seventh to allow the opportunity for Yonder Alonso, batting in place of the pitcher. The two-run home run against the National League’s best bullpen in the second-half provided the prescribed jolt needed for struggling club.

A walk to open the bottom half of the seventh to Hunter Renfroe, who finished the game with three extra-base hits and four runs scored, set the stage for Margot’s game-deciding homer. Jake McGee entered to keep the deficit at two, but the Padres added their own pinch hit home run via a Wil Myers 378 ft blast to settle the score at it’s conclusion, 8-5.

Colorado looked upon starting pitcher Chi Chi González in a spot start and the 27-year-old was adequate over five frames, giving up two runs during innings one-through-four. With score tied at two in the fifth, the Friars enjoyed a slew of doubles off the bat of Josh Naylor, Manny Machado and Renfroe. Margot drove in his first of three runs with a single for the third run of the frame.

The Rockies runs started with Yonathan Daza enjoying his first big league RBI with a two-out single that scored Raimel Tapia in the second inning off Padres rookie starting pitcher Chris Paddock. Nolan Arenado smashed a solo shot through the SoCal marine layer in the fourth, a 399 ft job for his team lead-tying 26th home run.

In the ninth inning, Charlie Blackmon extended his hit streak to nine games off closer Kirby Yates, who notched his MLB-leading 33rd save.

Sunday’s starter German Márquez is tasked once again to break a string of losses, much like he did against San Francisco on April 14 when Colorado was in the midst of an eight-game losing streak and a 3-12 start. Though they would get to a season’s best 40-34 on June 20, the season has gotten away from them.

After Saturday’s loss, the Rockies sit alone in the basement of the NL West at 52-63.