The San Diego Padres try to put the brakes on a nine-game losing streak Monday when they open a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park.
San Diego's woes continued this weekend, as it lost all three games to the Washington Nationals to cap a miserable 1-9 road trip. In fact, the Padres have lost 13 of their last 15 games overall.
Now, San Diego returns home trying to avoid matching the club's second-longest losing streak in franchise history. Since a team-worst 13-game slide in 1994, the Padres have lost more than nine in a row once, dropping 10 straight from Aug. 26-Sept. 5, 2010.
"You're finding different ways to lose each time," San Diego catcher Nick Hundley said. "Some days we pitched great and didn't hit. Other days, we swung great and didn't pitch. You try to find a nice combination of both and go from there."
Hoping to reverse its fortunes tonight San Diego will rely on righty Edinson Volquez, who is 6-6 with a 5.26 ERA. Volquez did not get a decision on Wednesday in Boston, but was terrific in allowing just a run and seven hits in six innings.
Volquez has faced the Rockies 10 times and is 3-5 with a 7.03 ERA in those outings.
While San Diego has currently hit the skids, Colorado hasn't been much better. The Rockies enter this series having dropped 17 of 24 overall and have managed just two wins in their last 12 games away from home.
And it may be even more difficult to find the win column on Monday, as National League home run leader Carlos Gonzalez was forced to leave Sunday's 6-1 loss to Arizona with a sprained right middle finger.
"We're banged up but a lot of teams are. We've got to find a way to win games," Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. "I feel confident that we'll show up (Monday) in San Diego and win the game. That's how I feel, but we've got to go out and do it."
Getting the call for the Rockies in Monday's opener will be righty Tyler Chatwood, who was roughed up his last time out. Chatwood was hammered by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday to the tune of six runs (5 earned) and 11 hits in five innings to fall to 4-2 on the year to go along with a 2.75 ERA.
Chatwood has faced the Padres three times (1 start) without recording a decision, but has pitched to an 11.12 ERA against them.
Colorado has dominated the Padres this season, winning eight of the 10 matchups, including a three-game sweep in San Diego back in April.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.