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The
San Diego Padres
look to shake their struggles at Coors Field and even their series with the
Colorado Rockies
when the three-game set continues on Saturday.
The Padres (65-63) lost Friday's series opener 13-5, snapping their four-game winning streak. After giving up just four runs
in its last four games, San Diego allowed the Rockies' (60-68) first six hitters in the order to go a combined 16-for-23 with
12 runs scored and 11 RBIs.
''We were off tonight,'' Padres manager
Bruce Bochy
said. ''We just had an overall off night.''
Despite the loss, San Diego remained one game behind the
Los Angeles Dodgers
in the NL West after the Dodgers lost to Arizona 9-7 in 15 innings on Friday.
The Padres own the second-best road record in the NL at 32-27, but have lost four of their last five at Coors Field. The are
just 5-9 against Colorado this season.
Clay Hensley
(7-10, 4.07 ERA) makes his scheduled start Saturday, after making an unexpected appearance out of the bullpen in his last
outing.
Hensley, scratched from his start last Saturday after feeling pain in his left buttock, allowed one run and four hits in four
innings in a 2-1 win over Arizona Sunday after starter
Chris Young
left after one inning with a strained muscle in his upper back.
''He saved us,'' Bochy said. ''He was a little sore, but he gave us a great effort.''
Hensley has been pitching well lately, although it is not reflected in his record. He has allowed two or fewer runs in six
of his last seven outings, but is just 2-3 in that stretch.
The right-hander has struggled on the road this season, going just 1-5 with a 4.88 ERA in 15 outings. He is also 0-5 with
a 6.66 ERA in his last nine road starts.
The second-year pitcher is 1-2 with a 4.34 ERA in six career games against Colorado.
The Rockies counter with
Jason Jennings
(7-10, 3.32), who also has been pitching much better than his record indicates.
Jennings leads the NL with a 2.03 ERA and .205 opponent batting average since June 15, but has gone just 3-4 in 13 starts
in that span.
The right-hander has not won since July 30, going 0-1 with a 1.93 ERA in his four August starts as his offense has scored
just four runs for him in those games.
He allowed two runs, both on solo homers, and four hits in six innings of a 2-0 loss to the
New York Mets
on Sunday.
Jennings tries to reverse his fortunes versus the Padres, a team he has gone 3-0 against with a 1.64 ERA in three starts this
season. The six-year veteran is 9-4 with a 4.47 in 19 career starts against San Diego, his most wins against any opponent.
Colorado had scored just 15 runs during a six-game losing streak before snapping the skid with Friday's win. The Rockies matched
their season high with 18 hits.
Brad Hawpe
had the first four-hit game of his career and tied a career high with four RBIs.
''It's good to score some runs,'' said Hawpe, who hit his first home run at Coors since May 16, a span of 40 games.
Todd Helton
also had a four-hit game to raise his average to .302 - the first time since July 7 his average has been above .300.
Helton is batting .404 (21-for-52) with five doubles and seven RBIs in his last 13 games, and is 20-for-51 (.392) with five
doubles and eight RBIs in 14 games against the Padres this season.
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