Los Angeles Dodgers

Rockies' Bettis looks to continue Dodgers' slump (Sep 09, 2017)

Published Sep. 9, 2017 5:34 a.m. ET

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AP

LOS ANGELES -- Chad Bettis, the owner of a feel-good story, will face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.

The Colorado Rockies' Bettis (0-2, 4.91 ERA) will be making his sixth start and second on the road since he returned from his battle with testicular cancer. It was less than a year ago, in November of 2016, when the cancer was found. Surgery was performed immediately, but chemotherapy did not start until the spring when enlarged lymph nodes were discovered.

With cancer finally in remission, Bettis made his 2017 debut on Aug. 14, firing seven scoreless innings at the Atlanta Braves. The road since has been more difficult as he has posted a 6.45 ERA over his next four starts, including allowing three runs over 5 1/3 innings to the San Francisco Giants on Monday.

But there were reasons for optimism Monday as Bettis' found more velocity on his fastball. He was sitting in the low 90-mph range, after dipping into the high 80s for much of his return.

"For as connected as I felt those (previous) four starts, there was a deficiency somewhere power-wise," Bettis said Monday, according to MLB.com. "We did some drills the last bullpen to get ready for (Monday's) game, and I think it just came to fruition."

Bettis is 0-2 with a 5.59 ERA in eight career games, including five starts against the Dodgers, but he has not faced them this year.

Scheduled Dodgers starter Alex Wood (14-2, 2.57) has dealt with a velocity dip of his own following a red-hot start to the season that landed him on the National League All-Star team. Wood was 10-0 with a 1.67 ERA at the break. Since his All-Star appearance at Miami he has gone 4-2 with a 4.07 ERA and just returned from the disabled list last week after dealing with SC joint inflammation.

Of bigger concern for Wood is finding a way to get his club out of their two-week funk. The Dodgers have lost a season-high eight consecutive games and 13 of their last 14. It is the Dodgers' longest losing streak since 2013.

The club also has a seven-game losing streak at home, its longest since 1993.

Wood lost his last outing, giving up four runs on seven hits over six innings against the San Diego Padres on Sunday. But he threw 98 pitches in that game, his most since throwing 99 on July 28 against the San Francisco Giants. His up-and-down velocity in the second half was on the uptick in his last start.

"I felt mechanically close, the best I felt in my last few," Wood said after his most recent outing, according to MLB.com. "Obviously, I was a little bit rusty. I made two pitches I'd like back. Aside from that, I feel really good about my stuff. The ball was coming out a lot better. Little rusty not pitching in 10 days, but as good as you can feel after a loss. I just need to pitch at this point."

Wood is 5-2 with a 5.02 ERA in eight career starts against Colorado, and he is 2-0 with an 0.75 ERA in his two starts against the Rockies this year.

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