Rockies at Padres
For the injury-riddled Colorado Rockies, a trip to San Diego to meet the struggling Padres has come at the perfect time. The Rockies, who are missing three starters - two All-Stars - from the lineup, will try to hand the Padres their 11th straight loss when they meet Tuesday. All-Star Carlos Gonzalez did not play in Colorado's 4-2 victory Monday because of a finger injury and is day-to-day, while All-Star Troy Tulowitzki (rib) and Dexter Fowler (hand) are expected to return soon.
The Padres have lost 14 of their last 16 games since reaching their high-water mark of 38-36 to fall into last place in the National League West, 7 1/2 games behind first-place Arizona. The Rockies' Jhoulys Chacin will try for his sixth straight victory and opposes Eric Stults, who has lost his last two starts and hasn't won since June 14. San Diego has lost seven of nine meetings with Colorado this season.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports (Colorado), Fox Sports San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Jhoulys Chacin (8-3, 3.74 ERA) vs. Padres LH Eric Stults (6-7, 3.70)
Chacin yielded four runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings, but the offense picked him up in a 9-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday. The 25-year-old, who is 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA in five road starts this season, hasn't lost since May 16 - a span of nine starts. Chacin was roughed up by the Padres for five runs in 5 1/3 innings June 6 - the last game before his winning streak - but is 4-1 with a 3.38 in 10 games (seven starts) against San Diego.
Stults has allowed 10 runs (nine earned) and 16 hits in eight innings over his last two outings after two quality starts yielded a pair of no-decisions. The 32-year-old has permitted 109 hits in 112 innings this season while sporting a 1.17 WHIP. Stults, who allowed two runs (one earned) and seven hits in seven innings in a 4-2 victory at Colorado on June 8, will be happy to see Tulowitzki and Fowler out of the lineup: they are a combined 8-for-21 against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Colorado RHP Rafael Betancourt, who earned his 12th save in 13 chances Monday, appeared to reinjure his right groin while fielding a bunt in the ninth inning. Betancourt, who missed nearly the entire month of June, said he was fine after the game.
2. Tulowitzki and Fowler began rehab assignments in Triple-A Colorado Springs on Monday and are expected to return when the Rockies begin a four-game series at Dodger Stadium on Thursday.
3. San Diego 1B Yonder Alonso began his rehab assignment with Triple-A Tucson on Monday. Alonso, who is hitting .284, has been out since June 1 with a right hand contusion.