Takeaways from the Padres' 6-4 loss to the Rockies
SAN DIEGO-- Tyler Anderson threw 5 2/3 innings, Nolan Arenado reached base four times, and Gerardo Parra blasted a three-run home run in the top of the sixth as the Rockies defeated the Padres 6-4 on Monday night at Petco Park.
San Diego fell to 16-27 while Colorado improved to 23-19.
Takeaways
Lucchesi only goes five
Joey Lucchesi entered Monday evening's game having to pitch against the Rockies for the third time already in his young career. Three of his nine starts have come against Colorado, and he had plenty of success in the two ballgames prior; allowing no earned runs and striking out 15 in 11 innings of work.
He wasn't as successful in his third go-around.
Lucchesi lasted only five innings; giving up six hits and three earned runs. He struck out two and walked one.
It was an up-and-down start for the rookie left-hander. He sandwiched perfect innings in the second and fourth innings with plenty of traffic on the bases in the third and fifth innings.
In the third, Nolan Arenado lined a 3-2 pitch off Lucchesi into the left-center field gap for an RBI single.
In the fifth, he was bitten by the home run ball from two unlikely sources. Daniel Castro led the inning off with his first home run since 2015; a line drive shot that landed in the left-field seats. After allowing a hit to pitcher Tyler Anderson and inducing a ground-ball double play off the bat of Charlie Blackmon, Lucchesi gave up his second home run of the inning to right fielder Noel Cuevas. The home run by Cuevas was the first of his career.
Lucchesi was visibly upset following the conclusion of the fifth and was removed for a pinch hitter. He only generated two swinging strikes out of his 71 pitches on the night.
Makita struggles
Kazuhisa Makita was recalled from Triple-A El Paso on Sunday following a right lat injury to Phil Maton. He made his first appearance following the recall tonight, and it did not exactly go well.
Coming on in relief of Lucchesi in the bottom of the 6th, Makita quickly retired shortstop Trevor Story on a bunt attempt. Following the quick out came a bunch of hard contact.
Ian Desmond and Chris Iannetta both lined hard-hit singles to center and right field respectively. The next batter, Gerardo Parra, worked the count to 1-1. On the third pitch of the at-bat, Parra lined his second home run of the season into the T-Mobile home run deck in right field. Just like that, it was 6-3 Rockies and the game was out of reach.
"He (Makita) missed down and in. That down and in spot to Parra is not where you want to end up, and that is ultimately what got him," manager Andy Green said about the homer.
Makita has now allowed 15 earned runs in his 17 innings of work this season (7.53 ERA).
Galvis heating up
Freddy Galvis is seemingly heating up. Following a 2-2 game yesterday, Galvis finished a home run shy of the cycle tonight. The 29-year-old doubled in the third, singled in the fourth, and tripled in the sixth.
Franmil goes 0-for-4 in debut
Making his big league debut, 22-year-old Franmil Reyes went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. He did reach in the bottom of the 4th on a throwing error.
"Tyler Anderson can be tough. One of the biggest differences you'll find between minor league lefties and big league lefties is how they pitch the inner third of the plate, so it's a unique matchup," stated Green regarding Reyes's performance.
"We are optimistic he is going to do well."
Arenado torches Pads
Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado reached base in all four of his at-bats tonight against Padres pitching, going 3-3 with a walk. He now has reached base in 24 consecutive games, which is the second-longest streak of his career.
The last game in which he did not reach base came during his kerfuffle with the Padres and Luis Perdomo on April 12.
