Chacin leaves with blister, Rockies beat Cubs

[March 16, 2012]  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Jhoulys Chacin blames poor grooming for a blister on his right index finger.

"I just cut my nail too short and I get a blister," Chacin said. "It's nothing to worry about. Everything is fine. I'm going to make my next start anyway."

Chacin pitched three scoreless innings before leaving with the injury and the Colorado Rockies beat a Chicago Cubs split squad 7-5 Thursday.

In good spirits afterward, Chacin said he will make his next start Tuesday against the San Diego Padres.

Cubs second baseman Blake DeWitt also left the game with an injury. He was hit by a pitch on his right arm in the fifth inning. He will be reevaluated.

Cubs starter Rodrigo Lopez gave up two runs and six hits in three innings, striking out two. He stayed in the game after a comebacker hit him in the lower back in the third inning.

The Cubs' Junior Lake and Colorado's Wilin Rosario and Jordan Pacheco each hit home runs.

Chacin -- who is expected to be the Rockies' No. 2 starter -- said the blister popped up on the tip of his finger when he was throwing in the bullpen before the game. The blister grew as he pitched, so the Rockies pulled him before the fourth inning. He threw 44 pitches, 28 for strikes.

Chacin said he had trouble gripping the ball because of the blister.

"They got all the blood out," he said. "Tomorrow, we'll see how it feels."

Rockies manager Jim Tracy said he expects Chacin to make his next start, and Chacin would have stayed in if it had been a regular-season game.

"Chacin is rounding into form," Tracy said. "The important thing is his fastball command. For the most part today it was there. When that is there, his breaking stuff is very, very difficult to deal with."

For the Cubs, Lopez said he was satisfied with his three-inning outing. He's competing for one of two open spots in the starting rotation.

"I want to make the rotation," he said. "As long as I have a shot, I'm going to fight for it. At the end, it's not my decision."

Lake hit a three-run home run off Christian Fredrich. Rosario smacked a two-run home run off Lopez. Pacheco hit a two-run home run off Alberto Cabrera that gave the Rockies a 6-4 lead in the sixth.

Chicago's Bryan LaHair went 3 for 5 with a double.

NOTES: Rockies rotation candidate Jamie Moyer will not pitch against minor leaguers Friday because of stiffness in his left leg, Tracy said. . Rockies third baseman Casey Blake looked good in batting practice Thursday, Tracy said. He has been out since Monday because of a stiff neck. He had neck surgery in September. .Starting pitcher Drew Pomeranz will pitch against minor leaguers Wednesday rather than his scheduled start Sunday because of stiffness in his hip. .

[Associated Press]

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