DENVER — A promising start once again quickly turned into disappointment for the Rockies.

With three rookies in their starting nine — including two who have been in the majors for less than a month — the Rockies let their inexperience show. In total, six rookies made an appearance Tuesday. Even Gold Glove-worthy defensive plays from Trevor Story and Charlie Blackmon couldn’t help the team, as the Padres defeated the Rockies 8-1.

The Rockies faced a depleted Padres team forced to play without Fernando Tatis Jr., Jurickson Profar and Jorge Mateo, who were placed on the injured list prior to the game. Tatis tested positive for COVID-19, and Profar and Mateo were moved to the IL because of contact tracing. Starting right fielder Wil Myers was pulled after the third inning because he tested positive for COVID-19. Eric Hosmer was also later removed because of contact tracing. 

After throwing three scoreless innings, Anotonio Senzatela, in his first start since coming back from the injured list with a groin strain, started to struggle in the fourth inning. Facing Austin Nola and Ha-Seong Kim, two batters with batting averages below .190, Senzatela let the count get to 3-2. He walked Nola and escaped with a strikeout against Kim. He threw his fist into his glove as he walked off, seemingly mad at himself for letting things get out of hand.

In the fifth, Senzatela allowed a 431-foot two-run home run to Manny Machado. Senzatela was removed in the sixth inning. He allowed seven hits and four runs.

“I like to attack the zone, but in the fourth, fifth, sixth innings, I threw too many balls on the first pitch and I got behind,” Senzatela said. “I need to figure out quickly what I need to do to be in the strike zone.”

Tyler Kinley inherited a runner on first and third with no outs in the sixth from Senzatela. He didn’t make it through the inning before he was replaced by Ben Bowden, who closed out the inning. Combined, the three pitchers allowed six runs in the sixth.

The Rockies’ only run came in the first. Raimel Tapia walked, and after some smart base running, he advanced to third. Charlie Blackmon sent him home with a RBI groundout. Dom Núñez, Connor Joe and Yonathan Daza — all part of that young core — were the only Rockies players to get a hit.

“We have hit the ball well at times, but we were ran down by the Padres,” Black said. “That’s baseball. We have to get more offense. We have to pitch better. Bottom line.”

The Rockies and Padres will play two tomorrow as they make up the postponed Monday game. Jon Gray will start the first game, followed by Austin Gomber. 

Injury updates

Kyle Freeland will make a rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Albuquerque, his first since straining his shoulder in spring training. He is expected to throw between 60-70 pitches. Brendan Rodgers (hamstring strain) is in Arizona, seeing gamelike action at extended spring training, and will join Albuquerque soon.

CJ Cron, who was placed on the injured list Monday with a lower back strain, is not expected to be out for long. Connor Joe, Matt Adams and Josh Fuentes will fill in until Cron is back.