DENVER — Hitless with a double play and a strikeout in five plate appearances on Friday, Manny Machado was clearly not happy with his first day at Coors Field this series.

He knew exactly what to fix: The approach.

“I had some terrible at-bats,” Machado said after doubling and reaching base five times in Saturday’s 8-3 win over the Rockies. “Not really feeling myself and just really bad at-bats (on Friday). So … coming in here trying to make an adjustment on just putting the ball in play, playing to the field and playing to how this guy (Kyle Freeland) was going to pitch. I’ve faced him for a little bit, so I know how he likes to pitch. I know his strengths and his weaknesses too. Just trying to have good at-bats and be better than I was (Friday).”

And he clearly was.

Friday’s 0-for-5 extended a mini-slump to 2-for-19 but Saturday represented Machado’s third four-hit game of the season and the continuation of his second-half surge that’s matched the Padres’ push up the standings.

While Machado had pushed his OPS to a respectable .742 heading into the All-Star game, he’s hitting .286/.333/.520 for an .854 OPS since the break. Five of his 18 home runs have come in the last 24 games, but the key to getting back on track on Saturday was simply putting the ball in play instead of looking to take advantage of Coors Field’s thin air.

“This guy, in this environment clearly has easy power and can hit the ball out of here, and that can happen, too,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “But he didn’t get caught up in the environment and just took what the game gave him and showed the way for his teammates about the kind of at-bats he wanted to have.

“And man, he just had tremendous at-bats, really professional, winning at-bats.”

A day after serving as the DH, Machado is back in the lineup at third base as the Padres roll out a relative full-strength lineup in search of a franchise record ninth straight series win.

Rubber match in the Rockies 😎 pic.twitter.com/qT3KRP3ip1

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 18, 2024

That means, Jackson Merrill is back in center field after a day off. Luis Arrez is also back after a day off as the first baseman and leadoff hitter, David Peralta remains the right fielder of choice against righties while Fernando Tatis Jr. is on the injured list and Kyle Higashioka will catch Joe Musgrove’s second start off the injured list.

The current stretch of eight straight series wins ties a record set from May to June in 2007, when Rockies manager Bud Black was in his first year as the Padres’ skipper

Sunday’s first pitch is at 12:10 p.m.

The Padres begin the day in sole possession of the NL’s top wild-card spot after the Diamondbacks lost a second straight game.

Here is how Rockies will line up for the series finale:

Today’s #Rockies lineup: pic.twitter.com/tu0hJsbocA

— Jeff Sanders (@sdutSanders) August 18, 2024

Sunday’s pitching matchup

Padres RHP Joe Musgrove (3-4, 5.20 ERA)

He threw 63 pitches over 4⅓ shutout innings on Monday in his first start off the injured list. Musgrove struck out a batter, walked one, hit one and scattered two hits. Musgrove has not faced the Rockies since 2022 (15⅔ IP, 11 ER). He has a 4.50 ERA in 18 career innings at Coors Field.

Here is how he’s fared against current Rockies:

Rockies RHP Bradley Blalock (0-0, 4.05 ERA)

The 23-year-old rookie debuted this year with Brewers — against the Padres (1 IP, BB) — and was traded to the Rockies in July for Nick Mears. He allowed three runs in 5⅔ innings in a start last week in his Rockies debut. Blalock struck out four, did not walk a batter and allowed six hits.

Here are the Padres that Blalock faced earlier this year while with the Brewers:

• RF David Peralta (0-for-1)
• C Luis Campusano (0-for-1)
• SS Ha-Seong Kim (BB)
• INF Luis Arraez (0-for-1)

Originally Published: August 18, 2024 at 10:31 a.m.