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SEA@SD: Volquez shuts out Mariners over 6 2/3 innings

The Padres proved a welcoming first opponent for Rockies' lefty Christian Friedrich in his Major League debut on May 9 at Petco Park.

That day, San Diego mustered just one run on five hits against the 24-year-old, striking out seven times. Other opponents have not been quite so friendly.

While Friedrich followed up his debut with seven strong innings against the Giants in his second career start, he's struggled since, posting a 7.23 ERA in his last eight starts.

And while the rookie will only get 75 pitches to work with when he faces the Padres again on Saturday under the terms of Colorado's experimental four-man rotation, Friedrich and manager Jim Tracy agree that being aggressive with the fastball will be crucial to making the most of them.

In his last outing, Friedrich yielded four runs on nine hits in just 4 and 1/3 innings against the Nationals, numbers he and his manager believed were deceiving, given that he was throwing his fastball with authority.

"He was very aggressive with his fastball," Tracy said after that outing. "He was throwing good strikes with his fastball. He did a credible job."

Interestingly, an aggressive approach has also been of the utmost importance to Friedrich's opponent on Saturday, San Diego's Edinson Volquez. When Volquez has thrown strikes with the heater early in counts this season, he's been spectacular. When he hasn't, the 28-year-old right-hander has had to battle.

But even when Volquez hasn't had his ideal command, he has turned in nine quality starts in 17 total outings, second on the Padres' staff. He is 4-7 overall with a 3.82 ERA, and his 54 walks are the most issued by any Major League pitcher this season.

Still, Volquez is coming off one of his best outings of the season, a 115-pitch start against the Mariners last Sunday in which he held the Mariners scoreless through 6 2/3 innings and struck out four.

In that outing, command of the fastball set up Volquez's strong curveball and deadly changeup, a combination Manager Bud Black hopes his righty can continue to utilize on Saturday.

"All three pitches were working because he was locating the fastball," Black said after that outing. "He threw the ball great."

Padres: Headley at the hot corner
Third baseman Chase Headley has been the most consistent Padre through a season of inconsistencies, and has been particularly hot of late.

Over his last 21 games, the 28-year-old Headley has gone 26 for 80 (.325) with three doubles, a homer, and 11 RBIs. He is hitting .272 overall, and is the team leader in hits, doubles, home runs, and RBIs.

Headley has also been strong defensively at the hot corner, where he has started 75 of the team's 80 games. With pinch-hit appearances in two other games, he has been entirely absent only three times this season, the most reliable part of the Padres lineup in 2012.

Rockies: Colvin crushing it
Rockies' outfielder Tyler Colvin has been on fire of late. After a spectacular 4-for-6 day with nine total bases in Colorado's series finale with the Nationals on Thursday, Colvin tripled for the second straight game and drove in a run on Friday night. Since June 9, Colvin is 21 for 54 (.389) with five doubles, two triples, five homers, and 17 RBIs.

Colvin is trying to establish himself in a crowded Rockies' outfield that includes potential All-Star Carlos Gonzalez (.338), Dexter Fowler (.288), and veteran Michael Cuddyer, who homered in Friday night's game.

Worth noting
• The Rockies are doing their part to help fight the devastating wildfires ravaging the state of Colorado by collecting donations at Friday and Saturday's games. One hundred percent of money collected will be donated directly to Colorado's fire relief efforts, in addition to an undisclosed amount donated by the Rockies' organization.

• The Padres have 18 homers in their last 18 road games, giving them 27 road round-trippers in 38 games. By contrast, they've hit just 14 homers in 40 games at Petco Park.

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