(Sports Network) - The Rockies were hoping that a rotation shakeup might get
things on track.
After one move failed to generate a victory in Tuesday's contest, Colorado
will give Christian Friedrich the first start of his major league career today
as the club tries to avoid getting swept in San Diego for the first time since
2006.
Friedrich gets the call after making five starts with Triple-A Colorado
Springs this season. The 24-year-old lefty went 2-1 with a 3.00 earned run
average, striking out 27 and issuing four walks over 30 innings in that time.
That was an improvement over his 2011 season in Double-A, where he went 6-10
with a 5.00 ERA in 25 outings.
Friedrich was a first-round pick by the Rockies in 2008 out of Eastern
Kentucky.
"They were probably excited in the beginning, but probably a little
disappointed the last two years -- one year it was because of injuries and
last year I just didn't have enough consistency," Friedrich told Colorado's
website. "Getting up here is what I've wanted to do. This is what they've
expected, and I hadn't met those expectations."
Colorado made its first alteration to its rotation on Tuesday, recalling Alex
White from Triple-A to take the hill. Though White pitched well, giving up two
runs over 6 1/3 innings, the Rockies still dropped their fifth straight
contest thanks to a 3-1 loss.
"That's as good as I've seen Alex White since we acquired him. He was really,
really good ... We had opportunities and it got away from us," said Colorado
manager Jim Tracy.
Jeff Suppan, who made his first MLB appearance in over a year with five
shutout innings to beat the Brewers last Wednesday, went five frames again and
allowed a run on four hits and two walks.
"He's still finding his stamina, but he's got such a huge head on his
shoulders. He knows how to change speeds ... he's got good pitching
instincts," said Padres manager Bud Black of Suppan.
Will Venable went 2-for-4 with a run scored and another driven in for San
Diego, which improved to 4-4 on a nine-game homestand that can end in a three-
game sweep on Wednesday.
It would be the Padres' first at home over the Rockies since Sept. 4-6, 2006,
and they had lost 12 of their previous 16 at home versus Colorado before this
series.
The Padres go with right-hander Anthony Bass, who looks to rebound from his
worst outing of the season.
In his fifth start of 2012 and eighth of his career, Bass was hammered for six
runs -- five in the first inning -- on six hits and three walks over six
innings on Friday versus the Marlins. The 24-year-old yielded two homers and
struck out seven in a no-decision, but his club lost 9-8 despite Bass hitting
a three-run triple.
Bass, who has fanned 34 in 33 1/3 innings this season, lost in Colorado on
April 17, giving up three runs through five innings. Bass yielded four hits
and walked three while striking out seven. He allowed the first runs of the
game on a two-run homer by Dexter Fowler in the third frame.
The Sports Network