Padres' Chacin looks to extend home run vs. Rockies (Jun 03, 2017)
SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Padres right-hander Jhoulys Chacin isn't unlike most people: He likes this city.
Good thing his start against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday is in San Diego.
"It's one of those things now where there's enough time where you expect him to pitch really good at home,'' Padres manager Andy Green said.
And really bad, Green might add, on the road.
Chacin (4-4, 5.77) has been perfect at home. He's won both of his decisions and has an ERA of .0.67.
But take Chacin, who faces the Rockies' Tyler Chatwood, out of San Diego and his wheels go wobbly: a 2-4 record and 10.27 ERA.
"The good news is his next start is at home and I don't think he is in the rotation for the Arizona series,'' said Green, whose team has won a season-high five straight games. "So the next two starts are at home and we will try to try to figure out the road thing after the next two.''
For whatever reason, Chacin, who has never pitched against the Rockies after spending 10 years with them, is money at Petco.
"There is a comfort factor at home that I think, for sure, plays into it,'' Green said. "I think his stuff has just been better here and I think that is coincidental when you stop and look at it.''
While he slides on the road, the dip on his slider has been effective at home.
"He's pitched well, his stuff has been really good,'' Green said. "His slider has played well, his offspeed pitches have been good and his fastball has had command. And combine that with his comfort level on the mound.''
Chatwood (4-7, 5.04 ERA) made himself cozy in his last visit to Petco Park. On May 2 against the Padres, he took a no-hitter into the sixth inning. Then he faltered, allowing five runs on four hits.
Chatwood is 4-2 with a 4.88 ERA lifetime against the Padres in 11 appearances, which includes six starts. He is looking to rebound after surrendering a season-high six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings against the Seattle Mariners on Monday.
"First of all for Tyler is that his ball-strike ratio has to be much better,'' Rockies manager Bud Black said. "The games that he is good, he is throwing strikes and he's not walking people. In the games that he is scuffling, the ball-strike ratio is poor. There are walks in there, there are bad counts, he's fighting to get out of trouble.''
Chatwood never lacked for weapons. It's just putting those offerings in the proper spot.
"It's not about the stuff, the stuff is real,'' Black said. "But he's got to get the ball into the strike zone, get them early and get after them. Because he has legit stuff.''
Black has a credible batting order, with more good hitters than spots on his lineup card. That's why a sizzling Gerardo Parra was out of the lineup on Friday, despite going 7-for-9 in a weekend series against Seattle.
Parra will start on Saturday against Chacin.
"It's hard to take guys out of the lineup because you like the way they are playing,'' Black said. "But these guys are all about team, which is great.
"When we talk about the lineup, not only for that day or days in advance, these players on our board with what we are thinking. They're invested in this team. They want this team to win and play well and they know a day off here and there will help them."
