Padres' win streak snapped as Carrigg and Rox even series

DENVER — It wasn’t a former Padre, but a former Aztec who tormented Padres pitching this time around.

Cole Carrigg, the San Diego State alumn who made his Major League debut earlier this season, feasted on just about every pitch he saw Tuesday night. The 24-year-old outfielder catapulted the Rockies offense to a nine run outburst, finishing 4-for-5 at the dish with five RBIs.

However, Carrigg’s grand moment wouldn’t come until late in the contest. After already having blasted a solo homer off Padres starter Walker Buehler in the third and chasing him from the ballgame with a double in the fifth, the young slugger worked a staggering 13-pitch at-bat against Randy Vásquez the very next inning, resulting in a monstrous three-run shot which broke things open in Colorado’s favor.

NO WORDS pic.twitter.com/Nsdu0tJtNL

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) September 16, 2026

“Randy made a lot of good pitches, a ton of good pitches,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “And even the last pitch that hit the top of the zone, it (was) one of those fastballs in Coors Field that doesn’t really carry. And he (got) the barrel to it. He won the competition in that at-bat, and that happens sometimes. They’re trying to win also, and he put (together) a good at-bat.”

It seemed as if San Diego was picking up right where they left off after Monday night’s 8-7 win. Fernando Tatis Jr. started Tuesday’s game with a bang, blasting the second pitch out of the hand of Rockies lefty Kyle Freeland for a lead-off homer. Luis Campusano and Austin Hays paired up to hit solo shots of their own.

First things first, he’s the realest. pic.twitter.com/ZldSLQrX7x

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 16, 2026

Unfortunately, that’s all the offense the Padres would muster. 

“It felt good yesterday,” Fernando Tatis Jr. said postgame. “Not today, though. That’s just an honest answer. But, you know, you just clean it up, and we start building again from tomorrow.”

The Padres, who hadn’t lost in over a week and are in the thick of an electric National League Wild Card race are, for the most part, where they need to be. 

The other suitors in the NL Wild Card chase (Phillies, Cubs, Diamondbacks), all lost their respective contests Tuesday. Meaning, San Diego still remains within 1.5 games of the NL’s no. 4 seed and 2.5 games ahead of Arizona for the third and final spot. 

“We just got to clean it up, you know,” Tatis said. “Tough one. Swallow it and pass the page. Our pitching has had our back all year, and I don’t want to sound like I’m pointing fingers. [The Rockies] figured out to hold us to three today. It should go vice versa. But maybe our offense wasn’t that great today.” 

The four-game set resumes Wednesday evening at Coors Field, as Robbie Ray makes his eighth start for San Diego since being acquired at the trade deadline. First pitch is slated for 5:40 p.m. PT.