"I don't think there is a profound answer," said left fielder Matt Holliday. "It is just one of those things in baseball where one year you are good and the next year you aren't."

Last year, the Rockies were 26-21 in day games. This year, they will have the worst day-game record in franchise history, and a losing record for only the sixth time in 14 years.

"I wish we had an answer," said shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.

The numbers are glaring. There's not much difference for the Rockies' pitching staff, except the wins and losses, which are even more glaring when the Aaron Cook factor is mixed in. Cook is 8-1 in 10 daytime starts -- the Rockies are 8-2 in those games -- meaning they are 6-24 when someone other than Cook is pitching.

Yet, the team ERA is slightly better in the day time -- 4.70, 13th in the NL -- compared to at night -- 4.79, 15th at time.

Offensively, however, the Rockies go from the top-scoring team in the NL -- averaging right at five runs per game -- with a .277 average that ranks second in the NL to a team that ranks 14th in hitting (.239) and runs scored (four per game).

"It is an age-old question and I have no idea," said Brad Andress, Rockies strength coach and quality control administrator, who works on figuring out ways to combat issues such as the altitude challenges and travel problems the Rockies face. "There are so many variables, I don't know. There could be some personal preference. Some guys may not like day games and it could have a residual (effect)."

The Rockies are coming off back-to-back winning months, their only winning months of the season, but were 6-9 in day games in July and August.

It's not like they are a worn-out bunch of veterans who have that "Animal House" look when he show up at the park for a day game. And it's not like they take a laid back approach to the games.

"We've tried to change things up," said manager Clint Hurdle. "A lot of teams don't take batting practice before day games, but we've been doing that. It's one of the sore points in our season."

PADRES 2, ROCKIES 1: The Rockies continued to defy Padres RHP Jake Peavy. They came up with a run off Trevor Hoffman in the top of the ninth, and then lost in the bottom of the ninth when Taylor Buchholz retired only one of four batters he faced. But that left Peavy with a no-decision. He's 0-4 in his last nine starts against the Rockies. The loss was the Rockies' third in four games and denied them a third consecutive winning road trip. They were 3-3 in the trip to San Francisco and San Diego.