Hosmer's hitting can't propel Padres past Rox

SAN DIEGO -- Their big-name newcomer is certainly doing his part, but despite two more doubles from Eric Hosmer on Monday night, the Padres fell to their first 0-4 start since 1994 with a series-opening 7-4 loss to the Rockies at Petco Park.
It may have come with an additional cost, too. After homering in the first inning and nearly doing so again in the second, right fielder Wil Myers exited with right triceps soreness. The club did not sound optimistic that Myers would be back in the lineup for Tuesday's game.
It was salt in the wound after another disheartening loss. Right-hander Bryan Mitchell was roughed up for five runs over five innings, and the rest of the Padres offense continued to struggle.
"Early in the season, as players, we're looking to get our firsts -- first hit, first homer, all of that stuff -- out of the way," Hosmer said. "Right now, it's a bunch of guys wanting to get that first win, maybe trying to do a little too much. That's how it goes.
"Guys want it in here. Sometimes in baseball, you've got to dial it back instead of dialing it up. We've just got to get that first one out of the way, and I think that'll blow a lot of steam off."
Hosmer went 2-for-4 with a walk and became the first Padres hitter to double four times in the team's first four games. He's hitting .375 through four games with all six of his hits going to the opposite field.
"When I tend to be going good, I'm hitting the ball hard to the left side," Hosmer said.
Hosmer scored in the third inning on an RBI double from Carlos Asuaje, who also had two hits on Monday, as the Padres cut the Rockies' lead to 3-2. They wouldn't get any closer.

Mitchell, acquired in the December deal that also netted Chase Headley, struggled mightily in his first start for his new club. He allowed multiple baserunners in all five of his laborious innings. Mitchell did notch his first Major League hit, though.
"It comes down to executing pitches," Mitchell said. "That's a pretty good lineup, and if you're missing as much as I did, you're going to run into a few hits."

Ian Desmond delivered the game's pivotal blow in the fifth inning, launching a two-run homer to center field. Desmond isn't exactly a welcome face here at Petco Park, where he's homered five times and knocked in 13 runs in 11 games for the Rockies.
Mitchell, who allowed eight hits, walked three and threw just 49 of his 94 pitches for strikes. The Padres have raved about the potential of his curveball, but Mitchell couldn't seem to locate it on Monday night.
"It's rip that curveball, not try to guide it into the strike zone," Padres manager Andy Green said. "It's a heck of a pitch when he trusts it. ... He needs that pitch. It's a weapon for him."

Right-hander Jordan Lyles followed with three scoreless innings of relief, before Kyle McGrath surrendered back-to-back homers to Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu in the ninth.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Slam robbery: The Padres loaded the bases in the second for Myers, who had homered in the first. He sent another deep drive to center, but this time Blackmon tracked it down, making an impressive leaping grab just in front of the wall. San Diego left the sacks full in the third, too.
Easy as 1-2-3: Facing the top of the Padres' order in the fourth, Bettis worked a 2-2 count on Manuel Margot before striking him out with a slider. Bettis recorded the next two outs on two pitches. The seven-pitch frame sent a fatigued Mitchell right back to the hill, and he promptly surrendered Desmond's two-run homer.
QUOTABLE
"It's very frustrating. I worked super hard this offseason to play every day, not to come out of any games. It's been tough, but it is what it is. You just keep moving forward and hope to get better." -- Myers, on his triceps injury
Spangen-blast
Earlier this week, Green noted that he preferred to ride the hot hand at third base, where the Padres currently have three different options. Right now, the hot hand is Cory Spangenberg. He went deep for the second time in three games this season, a ninth-inning shot that helped force the Rockies use their closer, Wade Davis.
San Diego's other two options at the hot corner, Headley and Christian Villanueva, have combined to go 0-for-13 with six strikeouts this season, though the right-handed-hitting Villanueva could get the call on Tuesday with left-hander Kyle Freeland on the mound.

WHAT'S NEXT
The last time Tyson Ross made a start in San Diego was Opening Day 2016. He sustained a shoulder injury and would miss the remainder of the season. After struggling for Texas last year, Ross is back with the Padres and will pitch Tuesday night against Colorado at 7:10 p.m. PT.
Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.