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Chacin takes hill for Rockies in Florida

Apr 22, 2011 - 2:58 PM

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(Sports Network) - The Rockies are coming off their highest single-game run production of the season, but if Jhoulys Chacin can come anywhere close to his most recent outing, the pressure will certainly be off the bats this evening.

Chacin takes the hill Friday night for the first time since his first career shutout a week ago as Colorado begins a three-game series at Sun Life Stadium with the Florida Marlins, who will be looking to win four straight for the first time this season.

The 23-year-old was efficient over 114 pitches last Friday versus the Cubs in a six-hit shutout, giving up two walks and striking out seven while going the distance for the first time in his career. He has won all three of his starts in 2011 with a 1.64 earned run average.

"To have this kid step out there tonight and do what he did is impressive," said Colorado manager Jim Tracy of Chacin. "He basically enabled the rest of the guys to take the night off."

The right-hander has never started against the Marlins, but has faced them in relief. Chacin will hope for the kind of support Jorge De La Rosa got in Wednesday's 10-2 victory over the Giants that helped the Rockies avoid a three-game sweep.

Ty Wigginton and Ryan Spilborghs both clubbed three-run homers, with Wigginton's blast marking the 1,000th hit of his career and helping him match a career best with four runs batted in. Troy Tulowitzki added three hits, including two doubles, and scored three runs.

De La Rosa, meanwhile, gave up two runs over seven innings to get the win.

"He had much better tempo today," Tracy said about his starting pitcher.

Colorado will look to disrupt the tempo of Marlins starter Anibal Sanchez, who is 0-1 with a 5.51 ERA through his first three starts. The righty has pitched well enough to win two of those games, including Sunday in Philadelphia as he gave up two runs on six hits and four walks over six innings, striking out eight while not factoring into the decision of a 3-2 loss.

"He did an outstanding job," Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "He was struggling at the beginning, but then he was hitting his spots and mixing up his pitches in and out, and he kept us in the game."

The 27-year-old Sanchez is 1-0 with a 3.09 ERA in two career starts versus the Rockies.

Florida has won six of its last seven games and is coming off a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh. After opening the set with a pair of 6-0 victories, the Marlins used the longball to claim a 9-5 win on Thursday.

Reserve outfielder Scott Cousins hit his first career homer -- a grand slam in the second inning -- and backup catcher Brett Hayes added a three-run homer. Mike Stanton also went deep for the first time this season.

"Great feeling to get the first career home run out of the way," said Cousins, who could be in line for more playing time after Florida learned yesterday that Logan Morrison will be out for 2-to-4 weeks due to a left foot injury suffered on Tuesday.

The Marlins, who opened a nine-game homestand with the sweep, are five games over .500 (11-6) for the first time since finishing the 2009 season at 87-75.

Florida won three of four over Colorado at home last season.






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