Chacin, Padres shut down Rockies 5-0 on combined 5-hitter

SAN DIEGO -- The last guy the Colorado Rockies needed to run into as they stagger down the stretch was former teammate Jhoulys Chacin.

A motivated Chacin took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and the San Diego Padres beat Colorado 5-0 on Saturday night, cutting the Rockies' lead for the NL's second wild card to one game over Milwaukee.

The Rockies entered Saturday's games leading St. Louis by 1 1/2 games and Milwaukee by two. Milwaukee beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 in 10 innings and the Cardinals lost 11-6 at Pittsburgh. The Rockies were shut out for the third time in four games and have lost five of six.

Chacin and four relievers combined on a five-hitter.

The right-hander beat his old team for the first time in three starts this year.

"Today was that little extra for me, facing my former club and my last start at home," he said. "I really wanted to do good and finish the season strong, especially at home. They got me the first game of this year so I really wanted to beat them today."

Chacin lost to the Rockies here on June 3 and got a no-decision at Colorado on Sunday.

Chacin (13-10) kept the Rockies hitless until DJ LeMahieu hit a sinking liner that diving center fielder Manuel Margot trapped with two outs in the sixth. Chacin walked the bases loaded before getting Gerardo Parra to fly out.

That was it for Chacin, who struck out six and walked three.

"He was great all day," manager Andy Green said. "At some point in time it starts creeping into your mind what's going on but it needs to go deeper before it gets too dramatic. Manny made a great effort to try to take it away. I think it unseated Jhoulys for a couple of batters but he settled back in."

This is the first time in Rockies history they have been shut out three times in a four-game span in a season. The last time they were shut out three times on one road trip was in 2009.

"We're not making good contact overall," manager Bud Black said. "Even though tonight we had some guys we couldn't get the big hit again and that has been the common theme that at-bats have not resulted in not a lot of hard hit balls consistently.

"Some of it was pitching. Chacin pitched well. But overall our at-bats haven't been up to most of the guys' standards and we have to turn that around."

The Rockies stranded nine baserunners.

"I wish I had the answer," Black said. "It's not from guys not getting to the cage early or watching video. In the last three of four games, we have not been able to get that key hit. We need the key hit. We had the bases loaded, guys on first and second two times. It's more our lack of not getting the clutch hit."

Rockies starter Chad Bettis (1-4) was chased after allowing Yangervis Solarte's RBI single with two outs in the fifth.

San Diego scored again with one out in the sixth when rookie pinch-hitter Christian Villanueva's chopper in front of the plate brought in Cory Spangenberg. Pitcher Antonio Senzatela fielded the ball and flipped it to catcher Jonathan Lucroy but it was too late. Spangenberg opened the inning with a single and Austin Hedges followed with a double.

The Padres added three runs in the ninth on a grounder by pinch-hitter Erick Aybar, an error by first baseman Ian Desmond and a sacrifice fly by Margot.

Bettis allowed one run and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings, struck out three and walked two.

CONTEXT

"The Padres have been playing good, credit to them," Desmond said. "They are playing the spoiler but at the same time I believe we are a better team than they are."

HOME COOKING

Chacin went 9-3 with a 1.79 ERA in 16 starts at Petco Park this year. His last start of the year will be at San Francisco next weekend.

"You have to feel comfortable at home," he said. "Every time I pitch at home I feel really great and I make my pitches."

UP NEXT

Rockies: Rookie RHP German Marquez (10-7, 4.41) is scheduled to start the finale of the four-game series. He is 1-1 with a 6.94 ERA in two starts against San Diego.

Padres: RHP Luis Perdomo (8-10, 4.57) is set to go for the Padres in their home finale.