DENVER: Jhoulys Chacin’s strong start ended painfully.
Chacin pitched effectively into the seventh inning and became the first Rockies starter to throw 100 pitches in a game since last June before leaving with an injury as Colorado beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 yesterday.
“I’m a little bit worried because I don’t want to miss a start,” Chacin said while wearing a wrap around his lower back.
“I want to keep pitching, especially with how we’re playing now. Everything is going well and I just want to keep helping my team.”
Troy Tulowitzki hit a two-run homer and Chacin helped himself by driving in a run with a sacrifice fly as the Rockies won their seventh in row and remained unbeaten in seven home games this season. Chacin (3-0) grabbed his lower left back after throwing his fourth pitch to Arizona’s Cody Ross with one out in the seventh inning. He was taken out of the game after a brief conference near the mound with manager Walt Weiss and team trainers and replaced by reliever Wilton Lopez .
“We hope it’s nothing serious,” said the Rockies’ Chris Nelson , who scored on Chacin’s sacrifice fly after tripling to lead off the fifth.
“But when you see your pitcher walk off the mound like that, it’s a rough one for the whole team.”
The team said Chacin, who allowed three hits in 6 1-3 innings and struck out five, exited the game with left oblique stiffness and would be re-evaluated Saturday.
Chacin was pitching a gem before the injury.
“I was throwing my fastball and my sinker down in the zone, attacking the hitter,” he said. Agencies
