Game Thread: 07/01 Padres @ Rockies

Our Padres ended June with an awesome and historic 8-4 win yesterday for Bud Black's birthday. Alexi Amarista, who hit a grand slam for his first major league homer on Thursday, hit two more homers yesterday. One of those home runs was the team's very first 3-run home run of the season. However, Yasmani Grandal shined the brightest yesterday in his major league debut. He hit two home runs of his own, one from each side of the plate, and became the first player in history to do so in his first two major league hits. It was quite an exciting day for our Padres and today they will try to build on that and take the series in their rubber match against the Rockies.

Thanks everyone for the congratulations it was a very special day overall but today it's a new day lets get a win #PADSSWAG

— Yasmani Grandal (@Yazman10) July 1, 2012

Today our offense will face Drew Pomeranz, who is being recalled from Triple-A to make his sixth start of the season for the Rockies. Pomeranz is the newest pitcher being used in Colorado's experimental four-man rotation. His last major league start was back in May and it just so happened to be against our Padres. He took the loss in that game, giving up three earned runs on five hits and lasting only three innings at Petco Park. He will have to have to do much better today if he hopes to keep our Padres off the board in a much less forgiving ballpark, especially after the offensive success we had yesterday.

And hopefully that offensive success can carry over into today. Kip Wells will make his second start with the Padres and try to redeem himself from his last start. Wells was rolling right along for 4 1/3 innings, but then everything unraveled when he made a throwing error on a potential double-play ball that would have ended the inning. That error led to four Astros runs, from which we couldn't come back. And that error ultimately led to Wells' 100th career loss, instead of a happy return to the major leagues. A mistake like that at Coors Field could do even more damage than it did at Minute Maid Park in Houston, so he will need to be on his A-game against the Rockies today.

Let's keep the wins coming, take the series, and start July on a good note.

GO FRIARS!! KIP THE FAITH!!