Rockies waste more quality pitching in series loss to San Diego

With a chance to win a series after losing nine straight coming into the series in San Diego, Colorado’s offense was lackluster once again on Sunday, resulting in another low-scoring loss.

The Rockies took a 1-0 lead in the top half of the third thanks to an unlikely combination. Pat Valaika got things started by lining one to center for a double. He moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when catcher-for-the-day Drew Butera lifted one to deep-enough center field for a sacrifice fly.

That lead didn’t last long as the Padres struck back in the fourth against starter Peter Lambert.

Wil Myers doubled with one away before getting picked off. That proved to be a huge stroke of good luck when Josh Naylor followed up with a double that would have easily scored Myers.

Unfortunately, the Rockies good luck for the inning ran out in a two-out at bat featuring Lambert versus Luis Urias. The 22-year-old right beat him with a pitch, but Urias managed to flare it into no-man’s land in shallow story between Trevor Story, Garrett Hampson, and Valaika, all of whom were converging; none could reach the weakly-hit ball and the game was tied at 1-1.

Lambert finished off his afternoon nicely and the bullpens traded impressive innings until the game went into extras.

DJ Johnson did load the bases around recording a couple outs in the sixth before Bud Black went to Bryan Shaw who bailed him out with a big strikeout of Austin Allen.

Neither team could mount any offense until the bottom of the 10th when the Padres got to a trio of Rockies relievers for the win.

Jesus Tinoco got a groundout, then walked Manny Machado. Black went to lefty Sam Howard to face lefty Eric Hosmer. Four pitches later, Hosmer reached first with a base on balls.

Black turned to righty Yency Almonte in a tough situation and he gave up the game-winning single to Myers on a line drive to center field.