San Diego Padres was down in three everyday players for his series finale against athletics on Wednesday.
But their Lockdown Bullpen was intact, which allowed them to win a 2-1 victory with a patchwork and take a series to return home with the big league’s best record of 10-3.
San Diego starts a six-game home toe Friday night with a match against Colorado Rockies, hoping to get Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jake Cronenworth in the set -up. But if Padres has to play without one or both again, they can be sure to know that their relief corps is not only rested but very effective.
The front line guys from San Diego Bullpen-Adrian Morejon, Jeremiah Estrada, Jason Adam and Robert Suarez-closed out all three victories on the only ended 3-3 road trip. They allowed only one hit in four speechless innings on Wednesday and lowered the bullpen to a large-league-best 1.65.
“This bullpen, it just feels like back to the old good days when you and your homies are just out playing baseball on the same team and you all want the best for each other,” said Estrada.
Yet it would not hurt Padre’s feelings a bit if tatis (sore shoulder) and cronenworth (side contusion) could return. Both were injured Tuesday evening in a 10-4 loss for the A’s, and the team played with what was a two-man bench on Wednesday.
With All-Star Center Fielder Jackson Merrill (hamstring) on the injured list for another week, San Diego depth is tested. Another concern may be to start pitching, especially the rear end of the rotation after last weekend.
Padres Right Hander Nick Pivetta (1-1, 2.70 era) will try to recover from a bad start Saturday in a 7-1 loss on Chicago Cubs. He lasted only three rounds, which allowed six hits and three runs with three walks and four strikes. Pivetta has been hammered in five career appearance (four starts) against Colorado and lost all five while he compiled a 15.51 era.
While Padres has started the season well, it cannot be said that the same cannot be said for rockies. Despite a 7-2 victory on Thursday over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado has already found its habitual place in NL West Cellar at 3-9.
On a fifth round Thursday, a rare offensive explosion for a team that is allowed to play half their games was a mile above the sea. Colorado is on average only 3.3 runs per match and does not compensate with pitching, which allows opponents to meet a major-league-right .290.
Brenton Doyle led the accusation on Thursday with a Homer and a three-run double, ended with three hits and five RBI.
“It was a big momentum shift for us,” Doyle said. “We want to build on it.”
Colorado’s German Marquez (0-1, 2.45 era) will get the ball to start the weekend series. The right-hander worked last Saturday in a loss of 7-4 against athletics, which enabled five hits and four runs, three earned, in the five-plus rounds. Marquez went six and found three.
In 18 career excursions, 16 of them start, against San Diego, Marquez is 10-3 with a 4.38 era.
Rockies won eight of 13 meetings between the team last year and went 4-2 in San Diego.
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