Streak over: Rockies break out against the Padres

Maybe a game against the National League West was just what the Colorado Rockies needed. Having lost five straight Cactus League games, the Rockies halted that streak against the rival San Diego Padres.

Wednesday at Salt River Fields, the Rockies started what looked to be a big-league lineup in a 13-2 win, their second this spring against the Padres.

After struggling to score, and stop runs the last week of spring training, the Rockies did both on Wednesday, as they crushed 17 hits, with starters Brenton Doyle, Ezequiel Tovar, Ryan McMahon, Michal Toglia, Hunter Goodman and Nolan Jones combining for eight of those hits. Jones was an incredible 4-for-4 with three RBIs.

Of course, young players battling for roster spots also came up big, too. For the second straight day, Zac Veen was a monster with a three-run triple, while Sean Bouchard had three hits, three RBIs and a homer.

It was indeed a banner day for the Rockies all the way around, as the players who are locked into starting roles, or at least roster spots made the most of their at-bats, while the likes of Veen and newly-aquired Owen Miller, who are in tight races for big-league spots, impressed manager Bud Black.

Of course, pitchers needed a good day the most. In its last four games, Colorado had surrendered 36 runs. Not against the Padres though. Bradley Blalock, who is in a race for a starting spot, but at least could will be a mid-reliever, got the win, while five Rockies combined to allow just two runs on eight hits, while striking out nine Padres.

Yes, Wednesday was the kind of outing that Rockies’ fans had become accustomed to earlier in the spring. It was an outing in which the Rockies performed like a team that is going to be much-improved this season. Of course, that remains to be seen, but, at the very least, a bevy of individual players performed at a high level in a spring training game, and that matters because opening day is getting closer and closer.

Colorado gets another shot at improving when the Rockies face the Guardians at 1:10 p.m.

Notes: On Wednesday, the Rockies optioned both Drew Romo and Adeal Aamdor to AAA Aluquerque.

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