Colorado Rockies, Chad Bettis Doomed By Early Runs In Houston Monday Night

Jun 15, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros first baseman C. Carter (23) slides safely into third base during the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies opened a four-game home-and-home series with the Houston Astros on Monday looking to right the ship after a poor series in Miami over the weekend.

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Chad Bettis got hit around to the tune of four runs — including a three-run home run — in the first inning, and the Colorado Rockies were in a hole from the very start, eventually losing to Dallas Keuchel and the Houston Astros 6-3 on Monday night at Minute Maid Park.

Bettis, who came into the game one of the surprising story lines in an improving Colorado Rockies rotation over the past month, reverted back to the player who struggled in Denver the last two seasons, giving up three singles, and a three-run homer to Colby Rasmus, in the first inning.

Down 4-0 early — a deficit which would be extended to 5-0 several innings later on a George Springer solo home run — the Rockies were in trouble against Cy Young Award candidate Dallas Keuchel.

Keuchel was lights-out several times through the lineup, taking a perfect game into the sixth inning, before a walk to Rafael Ynoa and a single by Nick Hundley broke up both the perfect game and the no-hitter.

Ynoa and Hundley each came around to score in the sixth, too,thanks to singles by Troy Tulowitzki and Nolan Arenado. That made the game 5-2 after six innings which was a welcome sign for the Rockies to fight back against one of baseball’s better pitchers.

The Rockies picked up another run in the seventh when a Hundley double plated Brandon Barnes to make it 5-3, but Hundley was then stranded on base and the Rockies took a two-run deficit into the bottom of the seventh.

Just as the club was gearing up for a comeback, LaTroy Hawkins allowed a solo home run to George Springer — his second of the game — in the bottom half of the inning. That made it a 6-3 game and extend the Astros lead back to three runs.

From then on, neither team would score, with Boone Logan throwing a perfect eighth for the Rockies. Pat Neshek and Luke Gregerson shutting down the Rox in short order in the eighth and ninth to preserve the Astros’ 6-3 victory.

Bettis (2-2) took the loss for the Rockies, allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out five Astros in five innings of work.

Keuchel (8-2) won for the Astros, lasting 6.2 innings while allowing all three runs on just four hits and two walks, while striking out four Rockies’ hitters on 106 pitches.

The two teams face each other in Houston Tuesday afternoon, before heading to Denver for two games on Wednesday and Thursday.

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