Gray struggles in series opener

PADRES 7, ROCKIES 6

The Rockies’ Jon Gray seemed to be in ace mode at the start of Monday night’s series opener against San Diego. He struck out the side in the first inning, then rebounded from one run allowed in the second by setting down the Padres in order in the third.

But Gray’s night quickly unraveled in the fourth inning in front of a sparse crowd at Coors Field, as the Padres went off for five runs in the frame to take a lead they never relinquished on the way to handing the Rockies a 7-6 defeat.

San Diego’s big fourth began on Austin Hedges’ two-out double that one-hopped its way down the third baseline past Nolan Arenado — a play fans have come to expect the all-star to make in his sleep — to give the Padres a 2-1 advantage.

Then came the backbreaker, with Padres pitcher Clayton Richard hitting a three-run dinger a few batters later. Richard’s third career homer was followed by a solo shot from Carlos Asuaje, and suddenly the Rockies were down 6-1.

Chris Ianetta proceeded to cut into the lead in the bottom half of the fourth with a three-run homer, the veteran catcher’s first of the year to continue a hot start that has him hitting a team-leading .345.

But the Padres (3-8) got a run right back the next inning, with Jose Pirela’s double extending the score to 7-4. Gray’s night with an unsightly line of seven earned runs on 10 hits in five innings pitched.

Carlos Gonzalez continued the Rockies’ rally in the sixth with a two-run homer off Jordan Lyles that was upheld after being reviewed for fan interference, but the back end of San Diego’s bullpen blanked Colorado (5-6) through the final three innings, with Brad Hand recording the save.