Rockies Take on Peavy
Jake Peavy was not at his best when he last faced the Colorado Rockies, getting roughed up in the NL wild card play-in game that catapulted the Rockies on a run to the World Series and sent Peavy’s Padres home for October.
He seems to have put that performance behind him.
Peavy, the NL’s reigning Cy Young Award winner, looks to continue his impressive start to 2008 and improve to 4-0 on Thursday when the Padres close out a three-game series with the visiting Rockies.
Oddsmakers from Sportsbook.com have made San Diego -164 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for tonight’s game, the over/under has been set at 7 total runs (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 72% of bets for this game have been placed on San Diego -164 (View MLB Bet Percentages). Bet this game.
San Diego (8-7) has only scored 49 runs through its first 15 games, but is still above .500 thanks to its stellar starting rotation. The Padres’ starters have a 2.20 ERA, by far the best in the majors.
Peavy (3-0, 1.64 ERA) has continued to be the linchpin of San Diego’s staff, winning all three of his starts. He’s allowed only four earned runs in 22 innings pitched, including a two-hitter against the Dodgers on April 5.
His last outing – also against Los Angeles – wasn’t quite as impressive, but he won after giving up three runs in six innings of San Diego’s 7-5 victory.
"I couldn’t be more happy with the outcome of this game, figuring a way to get a win out of that," Peavy said. "I didn’t have anything, really."
Peavy didn’t have much the last time he met the Rockies (6-8), giving up six runs in 6 1-3 innings on Oct. 1 in the 163rd regular-season game for both Colorado and San Diego, a game the Rockies won 9-8 in 13 innings to earn the NL wild card.
"I’m sure it’s going to be there for a while," Peavy said last October. "Watching the postseason when you know you should be a part of it. It was just a tough night."
Peavy was impressive against Colorado at Petco Park last season, however. He didn’t receive a decision in two starts, but had a 1.29 ERA in 14 innings.
The Rockies entered play Wednesday having scored the fewest runs in the majors, scoring only 46 times through their first 13 games. That tally included a pair of double-digit totals within the last week, scoring 12 in their series finale against Atlanta on April 9 and 13 in defeating Arizona on Sunday.
Colorado’s bats were hot again on Wednesday, as the Rockies scored seven ninth-inning runs to break open a one-run game and beat San Diego 10-2.
"This felt good,” said third baseman Garrett Atkins, who was 4-for-5 with two RBIs. "It’s a matter of sticking with it. Guys were not trying to do too much. It was contagious tonight."
Atkins has raised his average from .263 to .321 in his last four games, and he’s had plenty of success against Peavy in his career. He’s hitting 7-for-18 (.389) against the Padres’ ace.
The Rockies will send Jeff Francis (0-2, 9.53) to the hill on Thursday. Francis has struggled in both of his starts to open 2008, and he allowed seven runs in five innings in an 8-2 loss to Arizona on Friday.
He didn’t fare well against San Diego last season, going 1-3 with a 6.61 ERA.
Khalil Greene and Kevin Kouzmanoff, who make up the left side of the Padres’ infield, have enjoyed hitting against Francis. They’re a combined 17-for-46 (.370) with five home runs lifetime against the Rockies’ left-hander.
