SAN DIEGO — Jhoulys 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.
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.
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.
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.
