Jhoulys Chacin’s Excellent Peformance Leads Colorado Rockies To Series Split
By Andrew Dill
Jun 12, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Jhoulys Chacin (45) delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Atlanta Braves at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Jhoulys Chacin initially picked up where Tyler Matzek left off Thursday afternoon, striking out B.J. Upton to go along with two groundouts in the first inning, needing just 13 pitches.
In the bottom half of the third inning, Colorado would get something going. DJ LeMahieu walked to lead-off the inning, but was caught stealing on a perfect throw from Gerald Laird. Jhoulys Chacin would collect a hit short thereafter, bringing Chuck Nazty to the plate. Charlie Blackmon would lift a pitch from Ervin Santana over the auxiliary scoreboard in right, putting the Rockies up 2-0 with his 12th homer of the season.
In the top half of the fifth inning, Rockies starter Jhoulys Chacin would collect a milestone. He would get Braves catcher Gerald Laird to strikeout swinging on a slider in the dirt, earning career strikeout number 500.
Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau has been scuffling of late but came up with a big hit in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Morneau would club a solo-shot to right-center into the Atlanta Braves bullpen, giving the Rockies a 3-0 lead. That would be Morneau’s 11th home run of the season and his 4th off of Ervin Santana.
Colorado would get the bats going again in the seventh after Corey Dickerson stretched a single into a double, followed by a Drew Stubbs walk. Charlie Culberson would fail on two bunt attempts, leaving him with a count of 2-2 as he singled to left, scoring Dickerson to take the 4-0 lead.
Chacin would get pinch-hit for in the seventh as he exited for Ryan Wheeler. Chacin would pitch seven scoreless innings, giving up just two hits, two walks, while striking out five. Wheeler would deliver with an RBI sac-fly to right field scoring Stubbs to give the Rockies a 5-0 lead.
Justin Morneau would get a chance to hit with the bases loaded and two outs, coming through with a two-RBI single up the middle scoring Charlie Culberson and Charlie Blackmon to take a 7-0 lead. Colorado would collect one more run on a passed ball pushing it to 8-0.
The Braves would break up the shutout off of Adam Ottavino as Jason Heyward smoked a ball off the wall in right-field, collecting an RBI single to cut the lead to 8-1. B.J. Upton would follow-up with a two-run home run to left field to cut the lead to five. That would be Upton’s first home run since late-May.
Tempers would flare late as Corey Dickerson’s back-swing would unintentionally hit Gerald Laird as he left the game. Braves reliever David Carpenter would then plunk Dickerson on the next pitch and was ejected as Rockies manager Walt Weiss was tossed as well. Rockies reliever Nick Masset would plunk Evan Gattis in retaliation in the ninth and would be ejected.
Colorado would score a couple more in the eighth, pushing the lead to 10-3 on an RBI double from Charlie Blackmon.
Notable Rockies Hitters:
- Charlie Blackmon: 3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI.
- Justin Morneau: 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI.
- Corey Dickerson: 2-for-3, 2B, R.
Rockies Pitching:
- Jhoulys Chacin (W, 1-4): 7.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 SO.
- Adam Ottavino: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB.
- Rex Brothers: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 1 BB.
- Nick Masset: 0.2 IP, 1 BB.
- Matt Belisle: 0.1 IP, 0 H.
The Colorado Rockies defeat the Atlanta Braves, 10-3. Colorado splits the four-game set with Atlanta. Colorado will be back in action Friday night as they will head to AT&T Park to take on the NL West leading San Francisco Giants. Rockies will send LHP Jorge De La Rosa (6-5, 4.04 ERA) to the hill as the Giants will counter with RHP Tim Lincecum (5-4, 4.97 ERA). First-pitch is scheduled for 10:15 PM ET, 8:15 PM MT.