The Rockies’ bats haven’t yet caught fire at home. Lead-off hitter Charlie Blackmon is hitting .219. D.J. LeMahieu, the defending N.L. batting champion, is hitting .214. Three-time All-Star Carlos Gonzalez is looking up at the “Mendoza Line” with his .179 average — and that’s still better than Trevor Story’s .148.
Given all of that, it’s somewhat remarkable that the Rockies sit at 5-3, but they’ll need more out of their starting rotation if they’ll want to stay above .500. Tyler Chatwood labored through 101 pitches while getting through only 5-1/3 innings; striking out seven but walking three. Two of those three batters that walked scored — and it’s not a coincidence that became the Padres’ margin of victory.
Chatwood’s record dropped to 0-2, continuing a disturbing pattern by the top three hurlers in the rotation. Jon Gray, Tyler Anderson and Chatwood have exactly one win between them, and the trio have a combined for a 6.90 ERA. The Rockies’ best starter — at least, during the first time through the rotation — has been rookie Antonio Senzatela, who the team now needs to become a stopper on Tuesday to avoid a three-game, in-division, losing streak at home.
PEBBLES:
— SP Tyler Chatwood struggled in Coors Field last season, going 4-8 with a 6.12 ERA. This season didn’t start any better, as Chatwood took the loss after giving up seven hits (two of them home runs) and four earned runs; two of which came from the three walks he issued in his 5-1/3 inning performance.
— RP Mike Dunn appeared in his fifth game on Monday, pitching another scoreless frame. Dunn has yet to surrender a run, and has only given up a single hit this season. He leads the Rockies both in wins (two) and holds (two); the free-agent addition has clearly been one of the team’s best players in the early going.
— 2B D.J. LeMahieu’s batting average currently sits at an abysmal .214, but don’t expect it to stay there for long. LeMahieu hit .391 in Coors Field last season, and his bat is heating up again in the same setting. LeMahieu had a pair of hits on Monday; a double and a home run — both of which were his first of the season.
— 1B Mark Reynolds hit his fourth home run of the season in the ninth inning Monday, sparking a rally that eventually fell short. Reynolds, now hitting .345 on the season, leads the team in RBI with 10, and continues to buy the Rockies time as free-agent addition Ian Desmond recovers from a broken left hand. Desmond is expected back by the end of the month.
THE FINAL WORD: “His strength is his ability to hit to all fields, which you saw [Monday].” — Rockies manager Bud Black, on San Diego’s Wil Myers, who hit for the cycle in the Padres’ 5-3 win on Monday. Black managed Myers in San Diego prior to joining the Rockies.
NEXT UP: Padres (4-4) at Rockies (5-3), 6:40 PM MT Friday — Jered Weaver (0-1, 7.20) vs. Antonio Senzatela (0-0, 0.00)
