De La Rosa frustrated by shaky start in loss

SAN DIEGO -- For the third straight year, the Rockies' initial game after the All-Star break featured Jorge De La Rosa as the starter.

For the first time, he lost.

De La Rosa was done in by the long ball on Friday, as the Rockies fell to the San Diego Padres, 4-2, at Petco Park. He allowed three runs (two earned) in five innings on five hits and three walks. He struck out five.

In his previous post-break starts, De La Rosa notched two no-decisions.

He had a scratchy first inning which included home runs by Matt Kemp and Jedd Gyorko.

What went haywire?

"Everything,'' De La Rosa said. "All those pitches they hit were mistakes. We lost the game right there.''

After that De La Rosa was sharp, although befuddled by the early hiccups. After the Padres' two deep shots, he threw four scoreless innings, scattering three hits.

"Yeah, I throw much better,'' De La Rosa said. "But, still making those mistakes. I threw good pitches when I needed to but it was a rough game for me.''

The Rockies couldn't extend their four-game winning streak.

"He was hit for a couple of home runs early then he settled in and threw the ball pretty well after that,'' manager Walt Weiss said. 

The damage inflicted by the Padres in the opening frame helped them win their third straight game. Not only did the Padres score early, they were the benefactor of some sloppy Rockies work on the bases.

"That cost us,'' Weiss said.

Drew Stubbs was picked off at first base in the second inning and Ben Paulsen was caught on a delayed steal of second in the fifth. The Rockies went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, leading to a downcast De La Rosa in the clubhouse.

"I was really frustrated,'' he said. "It gets back to the first inning. We lost the game there.''

De La Rosa has been hampered by a cut on his left middle finger. Weiss said before the game it hadn't been a factor and after the game, De La Rosa echoed those remarks.

"[It's] good, no excuses,'' De La Rosa said. "It just wasn't a good game tonight.''

It rarely is at Petco Park as De La Rosa fell to 3-4 in 11 games in San Diego. Overall, De La Rosa is 8-6 when facing the Padres in 22 career starts.