Rockies at Mets
Colorado right-hander Jhoulys Chacin will make his first start since May 1 when the Rockies visit the New York Mets on Tuesday in the second of a
four-game series. With Jorge De La Rosa still trying to come back from
Tommy John surgery, the Rockies have struggled to a 47-73 record -
second-worst in baseball - without their top two young starters. Chacin,
who had nerve damage in his right pectoral muscle, made five total
rehab starts at all three minor league levels in preparation for his
return. The Mets have joined the Rockies in using a six-man rotation.
Chris Young, who will oppose Chacin, last pitched Aug. 14, so he'll be
working with two extra days' rest.
The Rockies are without several regulars and had only one player -
center fielder Dexter Fowler - who was in both Monday's lineup and the
opening day nine.
Colorado, however, won the opener 3-1 for its sixth win in eight games.
The Mets have lost three of four and seven of 10. David Wright, though,
continues to feast on Rockies' pitching. He doubled and scored Monday
and is 7-for-13 with four RBIs, six runs scored, three doubles and six
walks in four games against Colorado this season.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Root Sports (Colorado), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Jhoulys Chacin (0-3, 7.30 ERA) vs. Mets RH Chris Young (3-6, 4.50)
Chacin went 1-1 with a 2.63 ERA in his last two rehab starts - at
Triple-A Colorado Springs - and appears ready to try to salvage his
season and take momentum into 2013. Chacin was 20-25 with a 3.48 ERA in
his first two full seasons, and the Rockies had high hopes for the
24-year-old Venezuelan entering 2012 before a bad start was followed by
the injury. Chacin received a no-decision after allowing one run in six
innings in Colorado's 2-1 victory at New York on May 9, 2011.
Young has yet to win at home (0-3, 4.88 ERA in five starts), but is
coming off an excellent outing with 5 2/3 shutout innings in the Mets'
3-0 loss at Cincinnati. Young, who has alternated good performances with
bad ones over his last five starts, yielded seven runs in 4 1/3 innings
in a 13-0 loss to Miami on Aug. 8. Young is 5-3 in 13 starts against
Colorado, but hasn't faced them since 2009, when he lost to them twice.
Fowler is 2-for-4 with two walks against Young.
WALK-OFFS
1. Colorado's bullpen has an 18-inning scoreless streak.
2. Rockies 1B Tyler Colvin homered Monday and also preserved a one-run
lead in the eighth inning when he dove to snare pinch hitter Jordany
Valdespin's hard ground and flipped to P Matt Belisle covering first.
3. Colorado is 27-51 all-time against the Mets in New York.