Rockies 4, Phillies 1
PHILADELPHIA -- Chad Bettis combined with John Axford on a two-hitter as the Colorado Rockies beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 on Friday night.
The 26-year-old Bettis, making just his fourth start since his recall from the minors on May 14, had a perfect game through six innings and a no-hitter through 7 1/3. Phillies left fielder Cody Asche broke it up by grounding a single to left field.
One out later, Philadelphia catcher Carlos Ruiz blooped a single to right field, putting runners at first and third. Bettis, protecting a 2-0 lead, struck out pinch-hitter Darin Ruf to end the threat.
Axford allowed an unearned run in the ninth when left fielder Brandon Barnes dropped a one-out fly ball by Philadelphia second baseman Chase Utley, allowing right fielder Ben Revere to score from second. Axford set down the last two hitters to close it out.
Bettis (2-0) was bidding for just the second no-hitter in Rockies history. Ubaldo Jimenez remains the only Colorado pitcher with a no-no, beating Atlanta 4-0 on April 17, 2010.
Bettis, who struck out seven without issuing a walk, retired the first 18 hitters he faced, but Revere led off the seventh by lining a ball off the pitcher's glove that trickled in the direction of shortstop Troy Tulowitzki behind second base. He was unable to field the ball cleanly and was charged with an error.
With one out in the eighth, the left-handed-hitting Asche, recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley earlier in the day, batted against a defensive overshift featuring three fielders on the right side of the infield. He slapped Bettis' 1-0 offering through the left side where the shortstop normally plays.
Tulowitzki went 4-for-4 with two solo homers for Colorado, which has won five of six. First baseman Ben Paulsen hit a two-run homer off reliever Luis Garcia in the ninth for the Rockies.
The Phillies dropped their fifth straight and their eighth in nine games.
Philadelphia starter Cole Hamels (5-4) saw a four-game winning streak end despite going eight innings and giving up two runs and five hits. He struck out nine, walked one and allowed both homers to Tulowitzki, the first Hamels has surrendered in his last five starts.
Tulowitzki homered on two fastballs from Hamels, an 0-1 offering in the first inning and a 1-2 delivery in the third, to give the Rockies a 2-0 lead.
NOTES: Earlier in the day, the Phillies recalled LF Cody Asche from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and designated OF Grady Sizemore for assignment. Asche, who is making the conversion from third base, was in the starting lineup at his new position. ... The Rockies gave no timetable in a statement Friday for the return of minor league OF David Dahl, who suffered a lacerated spleen when he collided with a teammate while pursuing a bloop to short center field in a game between Double-A New Britain and Altoona on Thursday. Dahl, the top prospect in the Rockies' chain according to Baseball America, underwent surgery and Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan reported that he will miss the rest of the season. ... Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg was ejected by home plate umpire Angel Hernandez in the ninth inning after arguing a checked swing. It was Sandberg's first ejection of the season and the second of his career. ... Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki had the 11th two-homer game of his career and his first since July 9, 2014, against San Diego.