Rockies drop 96th game as Padres roll past them 9-3

DENVER — Rockies Report, Game 152:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: The good times had to end at some point, but so soon?

After snapping an eight-game skid with a resounding 9-3 win Tuesday night, the Rockies immediately fell behind in the top of the first inning and never caught up as the San Diego Padres throttled them by that same 9-3 scoreline in front of 16,806 at Coors Field on Wednesday evening.

San Diego Padres rookie catcher Ethan Salas — who entered the evening 1-for-17 in his brief major-league career — turned into Hunter Goodman for a night, hitting two homers, the second of which was a 2-run shot that just barely cleared the right-field scoreboard and put the Padres in front by a commanding 8-1 margin.

ETHAN SALAS DOES IT AGAIN pic.twitter.com/41Xx7dJsZy

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 17, 2026

Salas dropped Salas’ pitch just over the right-field wall. A fan leaned over the railing to corral it, and the Padres had a commanding 8-1 lead. They would increase their edge to 9-1 before Kyle Karros launched a two-run homer over the center-field wall in the sixth inning.

Outfielder Jordan Beck led off the seventh inning with a single off San Diego right-hander David Morgan; that was only Beck’s seventh hit in 72 at-bats against righties this season. He also drew a ninth-inning walk as the Rox got two men on base with two outs. But the Rockies were unable to score after Karros’ homer.

Adael Amador drove in the Rockies’ first run of the night in the bottom of the first. But the Padres quickly canceled that out with Salas’ first homer in the top of the second as they began to pull away.

Colorado fell to 56-96.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

It wasn’t Mason Adams’ best night Wednesday, and his struggles started with the leadoff batters. In each of his four full innings of work, he allowed the leadoff man to reach base via a hit batter, an Salas homer and two singles. In three of those four innings, the leadoff batter eventually came around to score.

Adams labored through a 32-pitch first inning that included two walks, a hit batter and a pair of singles. San Diego’s first run scored before the Padres recorded a base hit.

“Overall, command not where it needs to be — not where he would like it,” manager Warren Schaeffer said.

Only in the fifth inning did he finally retire the first batter he faced, but then Jackson Merrill singled and Xander Bogaerts drew a five-pitch walk. That ended Adams’ evening after 84 pitches, with eight hits, three walks and six runs — all earned — charged to his ledger.

The final two runs charged to Adams scored when reliever Nick Frasso surrendered a two-out single to Samad Taylor.

Adams absorbed his first major-league loss.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Salas hit his second home run of the evening to increase San Diego’s lead to 8-1

NUMBER TO NOTE: 9.00 — Adams’ ERA in his two Coors Field starts. He’ll likely have one more start at home next Tuesday against Arizona depending on how Warren Schaeffer sets up his rotation for the coming days.

WHAT’S NEXT: Colorado will attempt to. split the series in Thursday’s matinee. Tanner Gordon starts for the Rox; right-hander Michael King gets the ball for San Diego. First pitch is set for 1:10 p.m. MDT.

Related

Could Kyle Freeland make his last Rockies start soon?Rockies’ skid ends thanks to Carrigg’s two homers — including one capping a 13-pitch duelRockies losing streak reaches eight games despite six players posting 2-hit nightsRockies drop 10th-straight road game, throttled by TigersRockies bullpen disintegrates in disastrous seven-run eighth inningRockies’ skid reaches five games as 1-0 lead evaporates in middle innings