Jason Hammel Took The Loss Friday Night; Why That’s Unusual

Class 5A 1. Cherry Creek (2-1) won vs. Regis Jesuit, 42-7. The Bruins’ first game in Colorado this season ended in a rout, as the Creek defense held Regis scoreless until the late stages of the fourth quarter. The Bruins have now beaten the Raiders six straight times dating back to 2020 and have topped 40 points in each of the last three meetings.

For the first time in 495 days, Antonio Senzatela will find his way to the mound for a major league game. Senzatela, returning from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, will start Monday for the Rockies, manager Bud Black confirmed Friday afternoon at Coors Field. It will be the first game for Senzatela with the big club since May 10, 2023, when he left his second start of last season after facing just 12 batters. Senzatela and the Rockies opted against surgery for the ulnar collateral ligament sprain in his elbow at first, but he eventually had the procedure in mid-July 2023 after a platelet-rich plasma injection did not have the desired effect. The 29-year-old righty had been an on-again, off-again member of Colorado’s rotation for the previous six seasons before the injury.

Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin told The Denver Post that he’s expecting to make his rookie debut in the home opener against Pittsburgh on Sunday. Franklin was inactive in last week’s loss against Seattle. But with fellow rookie wideout Devaughn Vele officially ruled out due to a rib injury, which kept him out of practice this week, the former Oregon pass catcher is the next man up. “I’m looking forward to my first NFL game,” Franklin told The Post.

Levi Wallace spent part of his week in the film room. Sure, there’s the standard defensive back work. The veteran Broncos cornerback got some time with the offensive staff as it began preparations for Pittsburgh, too. Wallace, of course, spent the past two years playing for the Steelers. He started 18 games and played in 31 under coordinator Teryl Austin and head coach Mike Tomlin.

Steelers (1-0) at Broncos (0-1) When: Sunday, 2:25 p.m. Where: Empower Field at Mile High Radio/TV: 850 AM, 94.1 FM/CBS Line: Steelers -2.5 Broncos-Steelers series: Denver is 15-10-1 in 26 regular-season games dating back to 1970; the Broncos lost 27-19 in the last meeting, on Oct. 10, 2021, in Pittsburgh, and have dropped two in a row against the Steelers. In the spotlight:  Broncos shouldn’t sleep on Justin Fields.

BOULDER — When the bully across the road gives you a wedgie on national TV, the neighbors start to worry. Get beat by little brother? The neighbors start to talk. “I would say (CU Buffs coach) Deion Sanders needs (Saturday) more,” CBS analyst and former NFL lineman Ross Tucker, who’s in the booth for Saturday’s Rocky Mountain Showdown at Fort Collins, told me by phone earlier this week.