Chad Bettis, Strong Day At Plate Push Colorado Rockies To Win

Sep 18, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher C. Bettis (35) delivers a pitch in the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies met the San Diego Padres Friday night for the first of a three-game set — the start of the Rockies’ final homestand — at Coors Field.

4. 127. Final. 7. 108

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The Colorado Rockies took a good start from Chad Bettis, added seven runs scored on nine hits, and coasted to a win that wasn’t as close as the score would indicate, holding off the San Diego Padres 7-4 on Friday night at Denver’s Coors Field.

Chad Bettis wasn’t the most efficient or the most incredible he’s been all year, but he was certainly solid on Friday night, and he ended up earning a win with five good (but laborious) innings of work. In that stretch, he allowed just one run on four hits and a walk while striking out six, and lowering his ERA to 4.46 on the season.

Bettis was the beneficiary of good Rockies’ offense off Padres’ starter Ian Kennedy, as the Rox put up three in the bottom of the second inning thanks to an RBI single from Corey Dickerson, and then a two-RBI double from catcher Dustin Garneau.

The Padres scored their only run off Bettis on an RBI groundout in the third inning, so even though he was inefficient on the evening (94 pitches/55 strikes), he most certainly wasn’t struggling.

The Rockies would tack on another run in the bottom of the third inning to go back up 4-1 when a Justin Morneau double scored Nolan Arenado from first base on a play that was helped when cut-off man Cory Spangenberg dropped the ball on the relay. That made the game a three-run lead for the Rockies again, and it was all Bettis would need for the next two innings.

After Bettis, Scott Oberg threw a scoreless sixth inning, and Justin Miller struck out two in the seventh, though he did allow one blemish — a solo home run to Will Myers that made the game 4-2.

Just as they had in the third, the Rockies answered back in the seventh, though; Colorado plated three runs in the inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Jose Reyes, and an RBI single from Arenado, to make the game 7-2.

As it turned out, the Rockies would need those insurance runs, but the game was never as close as it might have felt. Jairo Diaz allowed two runs in the eighth inning, though one ended up being unearned after a throwing error by Charlie Blackmon.

Axford closed out the ninth allowing just a walk, earning his 24th save. With the win, Chad Bettis improves to 8-5 on the year, and lowers his ERA to 4.46.

The Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres meet again on Saturday night at 6:10 pm MT, before finishing their series on Sunday at 2:10 pm MT.

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