Slam Diego strikes again as Chi Chi cannot record out in Rockies 14-5 loss

Any time the score is 10-3 in pitcher’s park before your team can record it’s fourth out, it’s more than likely your club will be saddled with a loss.

Tuesday’s 14-5 win gives the San Diego Padres two consecutive to start the series and four-straight against Colorado overall, not to mention making the National League’s second-best team appear poised for a deep run in this year’s postseason.

For the Rockies, the silver linings range from positive to overly optimistic.

Nolan Arenado staked Colorado to an early 3-0 lead with his first inning home run, his first on the road in 2020. Trevor Story swiped his 13th base of the season to take sole position of first in stolen bases across all of MLB. Matt Kemp added two hits and his 17th RBI of the year.

Colorado was also able to chase Padres’ starter Mike Clevinger after five innings after the long-hair surfer gave up four runs while striking out eight.

Despite surrendering six earned run in his Major League debut, José Mujica did not get the loss.

It’s at this point we gander toward Wednesday’s starting pitchers for the promise of a new day.

Player of the Game: Arenado – 2-for-3, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R

The Sandblaster added another two-hit game in as many nights. The first-inning homer, his first on the road, was precisely the clutch moment so many of his previous seasons had been comprised.

A double against Taylor Williams in the sixth would be his final at bat of the night before being given the remainder of the night off.

Moment of the Game: Myers grand slam wipes slate clean

With a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the first, Chi Chi González was in line for his first win as a starter since September 10, 2019. It also would have been just his second such victory since 2015.

Alas, the 28-year-old simply could not find the strike zone as he loaded the bases on three straight walks. He got a strikeout before plunking the next batter to give up a run without a single ball put in play.

In stepped Mujica for his first game in the Bigs after six long seasons in the minor leagues, not to mention Tommy John surgery that sidelined the 24-year-old since 2018. On just the second pitch of his career, Myers mashed a 353ft grand slam to give San Diego a lead from which they wouldn’t look back.

Myers hit a second home run of the game in the seventh of Antonio Santos.

Defensive Gem: Santos induces twin killing against Tatis Jr.

It may have been 11-4 by this point, but rookie Santos finished his second inning of work with a 5-4-3 double play off the bat of the most electric player in baseball.

He twisted up two on an Austin Nola ground ball to end the sixth inning, too, for another scoreless frame.

Diamond Details

• The last time González followed Kyle Freeland was Sept. 21, 2019 when he pitched five innings of no unearned runs following the lefty in 4-2 win at Dodger Stadium. His career-high eight strikeouts – and the second-most by a Rockies reliever in franchise history – becoming the first Major League relief pitcher to work five or more innings, allow two or fewer hits and strike out eight at Dodger Stadium since 1978.
• Bud Black hands the ball to Antonio Senzatela (3-1, 3.33 ERA) in Wednesday night’s series finale as Jayce Tingler looks to Zack Davis (6-2, 2.23 ERA) to put the finishing touches on a the three-game sweep.