The Rockies were unable to plate any runs for Jhoulys Chacin in his season debut earlier this week. Coming off a big win over the streaking Arizona Diamondbacks in last night's opener, Colorado looks for more offense this evening in the middle portion of a three-game series.
Colorado was shut out in the 24-year-old's first outing on Monday, but it might not have mattered seeing as Chacin allowed four runs on four hits and five walks over just four innings of work. He also struck out three.
"I just want to forget this one, and just try to work on my mechanics and go get them next time," Chacin told the Rockies' official website.
Chacin has a solid 2.82 earned run average in seven career meetings with the Diamondbacks to go along with a 3-2 record.
Colorado actually broke out for 17 runs in a win over the Giants in the game following Chacin's loss and then put together another solid effort at the plate last night. Todd Helton had three hits and three runs batted in, including the go-ahead RBI double in the eighth inning of a 7-6 win.
"I'm seeing the ball well, and even when I'm getting off bad swings I feel like I'm in a fairly good position to swing the bat, so that's all you can ask for," Helton said.
Ramon Hernandez blasted a solo home run, part of a three-RBI effort, and Dexter Fowler got the Rockies' offense going with a solo shot in the first.
Helton's RBI off Arizona's Bryan Shaw was unearned following a two-base error by first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on a failed pickoff throw. Miguel Montero hit a two-run home run in a losing effort and Goldschmidt had a two-run single in the first.
"It doesn't work out sometimes. It wasn't a very fun game to be a part of," said Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson. "You could just tell it was going to be an extended game and we were unable to do the job."
Arizona has lost two of three following a 4-0 start and tonight starts Josh Collmenter, who escaped with a no-decision in his first start on Sunday versus the Giants despite a rough outing. The right-hander put his club in an early hole by allowing six runs -- five earned -- on five hits and a walk in just three innings of work. Collmenter struck out four and was taken off the hook when his club rallied for a 7-6 win.
The 26-year-old has faced the Rockies five times, four of those starts, and is 2-1 with a 2.81 earned run average.
The Diamondbacks won seven of their final eight meetings with the Rockies last year and took the season series 13-5. They won six of nine in Colorado.
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