MLB Game Preview - Colorado at San Diego

Fri Sep 6, 2019 10:10 PM EDT

Two teams seeking to avoid last place in the National League West go head-to-head Friday night when the Colorado Rockies visit the San Diego Padres in the opener of a three-game series.

Both teams take losing streaks into the series, which begins with the fourth-place Padres (64-75) holding a six-game edge over the fifth-place Rockies (59-82).

The clubs will meet for another three-game series next weekend in Denver.

Either the Rockies (2015, 2013, 2012) or Padres (2018, 2016, 2011) have finished in last place in the NL West in six of the last eight seasons.

Colorado, which hasn't finished lower than third in the last three seasons, fell into last on July 27 and has dug an increasingly bigger hole ever since. The Rockies have lost seven straight on the road and nine in a row overall.

"It's really frustrating, but it is what it is. There's really not much else to say," Rockies star Nolan Arenado said after Wednesday's sweep-completing loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. "There is no finger-pointing, but for us, as a group, it's not good. We are losing a lot of games. But we still have a job to do and we still want to go out there and play the game hard and play the right way."

The last time the Rockies won (Aug. 26 vs. Atlanta), right-hander Tim Melville (1-1, 3.86 ERA) was on the mound. He is scheduled to get the ball in the series opener, facing his former team for the first time.

The Padres are expected to counter with righty Dinelson Lamet (2-3, 4.24), who did not get a decision in an 8-3 home loss to the Rockies last month.

The 27-year-old has started twice against Colorado in his career, going 0-1 with a 7.00 ERA.

Lamet has recorded 14 strikeouts in nine lifetime innings against the Rockies. He struck out 10 or more in two of his last five starts, including 10 in an 8-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants in his most recent outing last Friday.

The Padres won three of four in San Francisco, but since dropped three straight at Arizona, a series in which they were relegated to playing utilityman Greg Garcia at shortstop.

Garcia hit well out of the leadoff spot, going 2-for-5 with two walks, but admitted to being a little nervous in the field.

"I told (manager Andy Green) if there's any chance he knows I am going to play shortstop, if I can get a couple days (notice), that would be great," Garcia noted to reporters. "That's all I need, a few days there to get some work. It's definitely a tough position for me."

The Rockies hold a 7-6 advantage in the season series, and have a slightly more favorable schedule the rest of the way.

They still have a three-game series remaining against San Francisco, while every Padres opponent the rest of the way -- with the exception of Colorado -- is currently a playoff contender.

--Field Level Media