SAN DIEGO • On paper, the Padres and Rockies seem destined for different things this season. 

The Padres are chasing a World Series title, running out a star-studded lineup with Juan Soto, Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts as their 2-3-4 punch. The Rockies are crossing their fingers they hit .500, stuck between an aging lineup and a crop of young prospects who are figuring things out at the major league level.

Colorado Rockies closer Daniel Bard to begin season on injured list with anxiety

But when the lights come on, none of that matters. In the first game of the season — after an uncharacteristic Southern California rainstorm moved festivities from day to night — it was the latter that came out on top. Colorado beat San Diego 7-2 on Thursday to open the season. 

“I thought we played well overall,” manager Bud Black said. “Some really go at-bats against some good arms. Overall a very good team win.”

The Rockies had a vision when they entered spring training. Brendan Rodgers, a Gold Glove winner a year ago, was going to start at second. Sean Bouchard, who showed more poise at the plate in his one month of service time than seasoned pros, was going to get playing time in left field. Lucas Gilbreath was expecting to be a key part of the bullpen. Alas, injuries came and all three watched from the sidelines in braces. 

They moved to plan B, which included Jurickson Profar in left field and leading off. But he had complications getting a visa and is in Arizona, his spring training just beginning and his timeline to take the field unknown. He can’t be optioned or put on the injured list, so the Rockies will have to play with three on their bench until Profar joins them. Then Daniel Bard, their closer, was placed on the injured list with anxiety just hours before first pitch. 

So plan C it was. 

That included Yonathan Daza leading off and playing centerfield, Elehuris Montero starting at third and Harold Castro, a non-roster invite, taking Profar’s place in left field. 

And, for at least one night, it worked.

This crew, the one no one predicted two months ago, had 17 hits, three more than any individual road game all last season. They also struck out 17 times, the first team in the modern area to hit both those marks on the same night. 

“I was trying to figure out how we did that,” Charlie Blackmon said. 

C.J. Cron, an All-Star a year ago, kickstarted his campaign to return to the midseason classic. He had four hits and two home runs, including a three-run bullet that gave the Rockies a 4-2 lead in the fifth. An inning later he did it again, this time a solo shot that gave him a team-record five RBIs. He’s tied with Vinny Castilla for the most RBIs on opening day in franchise history. Cron almost got a sixth RBI in the eighth inning, but Kris Bryant got called out trying to run from first to third. 

Blackmon, in what could be his last season, went 3 for 5 after going 3 for 38 in his previous nine opening days. He’s in the last year of his contract and said prior to the game that he’s taking it all in just in case this is the end.

A week ago Blackmon and Cron were sidelined with back injuries. But both are veterans, and knew exactly what they needed to do to make it back in time. 

“I told him before the game a week ago we were a little questionable,” Blackmon said. “It’s different when it counts. You saw that out of CJ tonight. He looked really good.”

Bryant, their $182 million man, also pulled together three hits and a RBI. He’s finally healthy, he said repeatedly this spring, and ready to remind everyone that he’s still an MVP-caliber player. 

Germán Márquez, not to be overshadowed by the hitters, also had a quality start, pitching six innings and giving up two runs. He elevated some fastballs in the first, but his slider came into play and everything else fell into place for him. 

“Believe me, it’s not easy. I’m going out there to give it my best and have good pitches. Tonight was great.”

And while the veterans did the heavy lifting, the new generation, the one the Rockies believe can turn it around, also got in on the action. Elehuris Montero, who debuted last May but believes there’s more in the tank than he showed, hit a home run in the sixth and tallied a single in the ninth. Ezequiel Tovar, the youngest player to start on Opening Day, got his first hit of the season out of the way. Justin Lawrence, who will take on important innings now that Bard is out, struck out the side in the eighth.