San Francisco Giants Look to Keep Bats Hot Against Rockies

Game 1: Tim Hudson (5-6, 4.52 ERA) vs. Chad Bettis (3-2, 3.44 ERA)

June 20, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tim Hudson (17) pitches the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Hudson is the only Giants’ starter without a winning record, and this could be Hudson’s last start as a 39-year-old, as he turns 40 on July 14th. His name has been thrown around a candidate to hit the disabled list when the Giants get starters back. That would give him some extra time to rest and get his wind back.

Hudson was solid in his last outing against the Dodgers, giving up just two runs, both on solo home runs, in 6.1 innings of work. This year, he’s struggled against the Rockies in three starts, going 0-2 with 14 runs in 17.2 innings.

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Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon are both 3-8 (.375) against Hudson this year, while Troy Tulowitzki is 4-9 (.444) with a home run. Hudson is pitching for his spot right now, and he needs another really good outing.

After starting the season in Triple-A, Bettis was recalled and has pitched well for the Rockies. The team is 6-2 in his eight starts, including one against the Giants. In that start, he pitched a career-high 8.1 innings and was phenomenal, allowing just two runs, both in the ninth.

Bettis is a groundball pitcher, getting more than 40 percent of his outs on the ground. That suits him very well in Coors Field. Interestingly enough, he has never pitched at AT&T Park in six outings against the Giants. Overall, he has a 1-2 record, 4.66 ERA, and 1.241 WHIP versus the Giants.

Brandon Belt ended the Padres series with a bang, knocking three hits, including a pair of triples. He will try to continue the hot streak against Bettis, as he is 6-9 (.667) with two doubles lifetime in the matchup.

Next: Game Two