Looking Ahead: Game 4 (vs San Diego)

Well, now that we've lost our chance for a perfect season, lost our first series, and fallen into a three-way tie for last place in the NL West, there's only one thing I can say right now...

It's Good To Be Home

Unless you're the Washington Nationals and you're hosting the Philadelphia Phillies, nothing beats the home opener!

The Rockies open the home schedule with one of their most favoritest opponents: the San Diego Padres.

It seems the Padres always show up when the Rockies need them most.  If you recall, it was the season opener of 2005 when the Rockies rallied off Trevor Hoffman in the 9th inning to steal a victory.  Everybody remembers the series in San Diego and the amazing Game 163 in 2007.  And then, in 2009, it was the Padres who supplied the opposition as the Rockies began to right the ship under Jim Tracy.

The Rockies aren't currently in the position they were for any of those aforementioned meetings, but they certainly need to step up their level of play after giving away that series in Milwaukee.  Here's hoping the trend of San Diego lending their hands to our success continues this afternoon in Denver.

Jorge De La Rosa vs Clayton Richard

The pitching matchup would seem to heavily favor the Rockies, but that's all really dependent on how they perform with RISP.  They had two cracks at Richard in September last season, fared well in terms of generating traffic on the bases and working his pitch count, but failed to knock him out early with a big hit.  That sounds rather familiar.

De La Rosa actually struggled a great deal the Padres last season.  He was 0-1 with a 5.86 ERA in 5 starts.  It should be noted that three of those starts came before Jorge won the first of his 16 games.  So, as I'll tell you time and time again, never read too much into the numbers.

MLB 10 The Show Simulation

Rockies 9, Padres 7

Jorge De La Rosa only lasted three innings as the Padres pounded him for five runs on eight hits.  In the 5th, Chase Headley knocked a 2-run HR off of Matt Belisle to extend San Diego's lead to 7-4.  It was all Rockies from there.  Ryan Spilborghs hit his own 2-run HR in the bottom of the 5th.  In the 7th, Clint Barmes tied the game with a single scoring Ian Stewart.  Then with two outs in the 8th, Brad Hawpe hit a 2-run HR over the rightfield scoreboard to clinch the victory .

Rafael Betancourt pitched a 1-2-3 8th for the win.  Franklin Morales did likewise in the 9th to pick up the save.

SD: Chase Headley -- 3-for-4 HR, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R

Col: Brad Hawpe -- 3-for-5 HR, 3 RBI  Clint Barmes -- 3-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 R

By the way, the simulation had the Rockies winning 2-of-3 in Milwaukee, so acording to this they be should 3-1.