National League Preview from The Sports Network
Sunday, September 16th
(All times eastern)
Colorado Rockies (58-86) at San Diego Padres (70-76), 4:05 p.m.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Colorado - Alex White (2-8, 5.18)
San Diego - Andrew Werner (2-1, 2.59)
(Sports Network) - Andrew Werner tries to continue an impressive beginning to
his major league career as he takes the hill for the San Diego Padres on
Sunday afternoon in the finale of a three-game set versus the Colorado
Rockies.
Signed out of a tryout camp back in 2010, Werner has thrown four quality
outings in as many starts since joining San Diego's rotation. He won his debut
versus the Pirates on Aug. 22. and then went 0-1 in two starts despite
allowing just four runs over 12 innings.
The left-hander, though, found the win column on Sunday against the Arizona
Diamondbacks, allowing a run on four hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings. He
also showed the Padres some composure, settling down after a rough start.
"The first three innings, he wasn't quite on the mark, you saw the elevated
pitch count," Padres manager Bud Black said on his team's official website.
"Then Andrew, for whatever reason, got back in the strike zone. I like the way
he ended it. The fourth, fifth and sixth (innings) were really solid."
Werner, 25, has fanned 23 batters in 24 1/3 innings with the Padres, all while
logging a 2.59 earned run average. He faces the Rockies for the first time.
Alex White would love to go on a similar run to Werner and the Colorado right-
hander first aims to log his first victory since June 3.
White is 0-5 in 13 starts since that victory and has gone more than four
innings just twice in that time, largely due to his club's 75-pitch limit for
its starters.
After getting handed consecutive losing starts, the 24-year-old did not factor
into a 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants on Monday, allowing a run on six
hits over four innings. He also contributed at the plate, hitting the first
home run of his career.
White is 2-8 with a 5.18 ERA in 19 starts this season and holds a career mark
of 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in three meetings with the Padres.
San Diego evened this series on Saturday with a 4-3 win, getting an RBI double
from Andy Parrino and a key three-run homer early from Jesus Guzman.
Casey Kelly earned the win after giving up three runs -- two earned -- on
seven hits over six-plus innings as the Padres won for the fifth time in six
games.
"The breaking ball was very solid today," Black noted of Kelly's outing.
"Velocity came back today."
Luke Gregerson worked a perfect ninth to earn his eighth save of the year.
Chris Nelson went 2-for-4 with an RBI double and Charlie Blackmon had two hits
and knocked in a run for the Rockies, who have dropped eight of their last 10.
Drew Pomeranz lasted just three innings after giving up four runs on four
hits, including Guzman's key homer in the third.
"More times than not you pay for that," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "It's
quite an uphill battle in this ballpark."
San Diego owns a slight 9-8 edge in the season series.
09/16 10:33:13 ET

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