Bettis, Rockies Cool Off Cubs In Chicago
CHICAGO (The Sports Xchange) - Right-hander Chad Bettis allowed just three hits in a six-inning scoreless stint as the Colorado Rockies cooled off the Chicago Cubs with a 6-1 victory on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field.
The Rockies (6-4) won their third straight while the Cubs (8-2) saw a five-game winning streak snapped.
Bettis (2-0) walked three and struck out four in his first career Wrigley Field start.
Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks (1-1) also worked six innings while allowing two earned runs on seven hits and striking out five.
PHOTO GALLERY: Rockies 6, Cubs 1
Friday was the Cubs' first 2016 day game and Chicago struggled in the daylight with just four hits and an uncharacteristic four errors.
Colorado claimed a 1-0 lead with an unearned second-inning run.
Ben Paulsen's two-out single to shallow center brought home Nolan Arenado from third after Arenado had earlier reached base on Hendricks' error.
Kris Bryant's lead-off single in the second gave the Cubs a baserunner, but he was caught stealing and Chicago didn't have any more production until the fifth.
That's when Jorge Soler led off with a walk and advanced to third on an Addison Russell infield single and Bettis' throwing error.
But Soler's potential tying run was blocked by a tag at the plate when Hendricks bunted into a fielder's choice. The bunt was handled by Bettis, who lobbed to catcher Tony Wolters.
Colorado opened the sixth with three straight hits, including Gerardo Parra's RBI single up the middle that scored Carlos Gonzalez for a 2-0 lead.
Ryan Raburn grounded to short in a double play that still brought home Arenado to make it 3-0.
An error by Bryant, the Cubs' third of the game, led to another run in the seventh when an errant throw allowed Wolters to cross the plate for a 4-0 lead.
The Cubs ended the shutout in the seventh on pinch hitter Tommy LaStella's fielder's choice grounder to second that drove in Soler from third.
Colorado scored twice in the eighth. Wolters reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Parra to score, and D.J. LeMahieu's groundout brought home Mark Reynolds to make it 6-1
Home plate umpire John Hirschbeck left the game in the eighth after being struck under his mask by a ball that apparently ricocheted off home plate. Third base umpire Clint Fagan finished the game behind the plate.
The series continues with day games on Saturday and Sunday.
NOTES: The Rockies are on the road for the second time this season with the start of the three-game weekend series in Chicago. They were 2-1 on a season-opening trip to Arizona before going 3-3 during a recent home stand. ... Entering Friday, RF Carlos Gonzalez had been the most prolific current Rockies player against the Cubs, batting .338 with 29 runs, 12 homers and 26 RBIs over 25 games. ... Colorado RHP Chad Bettis, Friday's starter, faced the Cubs for only the second time ever and was making his first start. He had a relief appearance at Wrigley Field in 2014. ... The Cubs activated INF Javier Baez off the 15-day disabled list on Friday after optioning INF Munenori Kawasaki to Triple-A Iowa. Baez had suffered a left thumb contusion during spring training. ... RHP Jake Arrieta, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner (2-0, 1.93 ERA) faces Rockies RHP Christian Bergman (0-1, 12.00 ERA) in Saturday's middle game. ... Both teams wore Jackie Robinson's No. 42 on Friday, marking the 69th anniversary of Robinson's major league debut and breaking baseball's color barrier.
