Bettis makes pivotal start for Rockies vs. Padres

SAN DIEGO -- Earlier this season, a trio of young Colorado Rockies -- Antonio Senzatela, Kyle Freeland and Jeff Hoffman -- were successful as starting pitchers against the San Diego Padres.

Senzatela, 22, is 3-0 against the Padres this season with a 3.50 earned run average as a starter. Freeland had a 4.85 ERA. And Hoffman, 24, was 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in one start.

All three are currently in the bullpen, the victim of pushing their pre-set innings limits or performance. Senzatela and Hoffman each faced the Padres Thursday night out of the bullpen.

So with the Rockies locked in a battle for the second National League wild card berth, right-hander Chad Bettis will be making his first start of the season against the Padres on Saturday.

After getting a 4-1 win Friday, the Rockies 1 1/2 games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals and two games in front of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Of course, Bettis is quite a story.

Saturday will be his eighth start since returning from his battle against testicular cancer. He underwent surgery last fall and has continued treatments during this season.

Bettis is 1/3 with a 6.23 ERA after his first seven starts. He is also coming off his worst outing.

On Sept. 14 at Arizona, Bettis lasted only one-third of an inning, giving up five runs on three hits and three walks. It was the shortest start of the 28-year-old's career.

Bettis has had success against the Padres in the past. He is 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 10 career games (seven starts) against the Padres with eight walks and 35 strikeouts in 42 innings.

But he is only 0-1 with a 3.57 ERA in six games (four starts) at Petco Park and has struggled on the road this season, going 1-2 with an 11.32 ERA in three starts. His career ERA on the road is 4.83.

"Chad's a veteran," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "He had a bad start. It's behind him."

The Padres will counter with Jhoulys Chacin starting a second former member of the Rockies pitching staff in as many nights after Jordan Lyles gave up solo homers to Nolan Arenado, Ian Desmond and Trevor Story Friday.

Overall, Chacin is 12-10 this season with a 4.12 ER and has gotten stronger as the season has advanced.

Chacin also leads the National League in home earned run average with a 1.91 mark. Opposing hitters are batting .182 against Chacin at Petco Park.

Only Cleveland's Corey Kluber (1.81) has a lower home ERA in the Major Leagues than Chacin's mark.

"I do like pitching here," Chacin admitted recently. "But a lot of pitchers like pitching here."

His worst start of the season at Petco Park came against the Rockies on June 3 when he allowed four runs on six hits and three walks in six innings. That was one of his three home losses against eight wins.

Chacin is also 8-5 over his last 18 starts with a 3.16 ERA while limiting opponents to a .218 batting average.

"I think he's solid home or away," Padres manager Andy Green said of Chacin, who leads the team in wins and is the only member of the six-man rotation with a winning record.

"But if teams want to think he's a lot tougher here, I don't want to argue with them."

Chacin is 0-1 with a 5.23 ERA in two career starts against the Rockies, whom he made 109 starts for from 2009 to 2014.