It wasn’t nerves, just a dose of excitement that had Chad Bettis out of sorts on the mound.
But after three shaky innings in his season debut, he righted himself and helped the Colorado Rockies beat the winless San Diego Padres 7-4 on Monday night.
“I felt like, honestly, I had expended all that extra adrenaline and I got back to getting my legs under me and was able to stand tall on my backside,” Bettis said. “Earlier, I was just picking my leg up and going.”
Ian Desmond, Charlie Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu homered to power the Rockies.
“Those guys squared those balls up and they were hit hard,” manager Bud Black said. “We had a good night offensively.”
Bettis (1-0) allowed two runs and five hits in five innings. Limited to nine major league starts last year as he was treated for cancer, the right-hander struck out four and walked four before five relievers finished up.
Wade Davis got one out for his second save.
“Chad scuffled early a little bit as it just seemed his delivery was a little quick. He wanted to hurry it,” Black said.
After a third-inning visit from Black, Bettis got on track. He made an in-game adjustment by slowing down and leaning on his curveball.
“Looking at the pitcher I am now compared to a couple of years ago, those innings would speed up on me,” he said. “Now I’m able to take a step back and really analyze what’s going on and bear down and make the pitches.”
His curve not only was effective, but it served another purpose.
“It’s always been my reset pitch mechanically,” he said. “If I go too fast it is not competitive.”
Desmond drove in three runs as the Rockies improved to 2-2.
Wil Myers and Cory Spangenberg homered for the Padres, who dropped to 0-4. Bryan Mitchell struggled in his five-inning debut with San Diego.
Myers exited early with a triceps injury.
“I have some stuff in my triceps and it felt like I couldn’t make the throw back into the infield,” he said. “The throws from the outfield pushed it over the edge.”
Padres manager Andy Green wasn’t sure of Myers’ status. Myers moved back to the outfield from first base this season.
“We don’t have a clear answer,” Green said.
Desmond hit a two-run homer in the fifth and an RBI double in the third to help the Rockies win for the 10th time in their last 16 games at Petco Park. Blackmon and LeMahieu added back-to-back solo homers in the ninth — the fourth already for Blackmon this season.
Mitchell (0-1) gave up five runs, eight hits and three walks. He failed to strike out a batter.
“He wasn’t sharp,” Green said. “He couldn’t find his curve. He had chances to minimize innings and escape out of innings and he didn’t do it.”
Before Desmond’s homer, Carlos Asuaje’s double pulled the Padres to 3-2 as it chased home Eric Hosmer after Hosmer hit his third double in three games. The Padres, though, left the bases loaded for the second consecutive inning.
Carlos Gonzalez, who surpassed Vinny Castilla for the fourth-most hits (1,207) in Rockies history, pushed Colorado ahead 2-1 with an RBI double in the third to score LeMahieu after he opened with a walk. Gonzalez was driven in by Desmond’s double for a 3-1 edge.
Myers homered in the first inning to tie it at 1.
The Rockies took a 1-0 lead when Blackmon led off with a double and scored on Nolan Arenado’s sacrifice fly.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: Desmond (knee) returned to the lineup after leaving Saturday’s game early. … RHP Carlos Estevez (oblique) is scheduled to throw a simulated game at the team’s Arizona facility on Tuesday.
Padres: C Austin Hedges (back) was a late scratch. … Myers missed the previous game with a bad back.
UP NEXT
Rockies: LHP Kyle Freeland would like to duplicate his lone start at Petco Park, which came last year in his rookie season. Although he got a no-decision on May 4, he allowed only one run and three hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Padres: RHP Tyson Ross makes his first start in his second stint with the Padres after spending last year with the Texas Rangers while recovering from a shoulder injury.
AROUND THE MAJORS MONDAY
— The Houston Astros unveiled their World Series banner before winning their home opener. Charlie Morton worked six shutout innings and Marwin Gonzalez slammed a solo homer to lead the Astros to a 6-1 whipping of the Orioles. Morton tossed three-hit ball while striking out six to pitch Houston to its third straight win. Derek Fisher had two RBIs, including an RBI triple that sailed just out of reach of center fielder Adam Jones. Chris Tillman was tagged for four runs and seven hits in four-plus innings as Baltimore dropped its third in a row since a season-opening victory.
— The Diamondbacks took a wild one from the Dodgers as Arizona scored twice in the bottom of the 15th to pull out an 8-7 win. Nick Ahmed doubled home the tying run and scored on a walk-off single by pinch-hitter Jeff Mathis, a half-inning after Chase Utley’s RBI single put Los Angeles in front . The Dodgers were one out from a 6-3, nine-inning win until Chris Owings launched a three-run homer off All-Star closer Kenley Jansen.
— Edwin Encarnacion hit the second inside-the-park home run of his career and Mike Clevenger worked into the sixth inning of the Indians’ 6-0 shutout of the Angels. Clevenger scattered four hits and struck out five over 5 1/3 innings as Cleveland spoiled the Angels’ home opener. Tyler Naquin and Yonder Alonso hit fourth-inning homers off losing pitcher JC Ramirez, who was reached for four earned runs in five innings.
— Hanley Ramirez belted a two-run homer and Mookie Betts added a solo shot as the Red Sox downed the Marlins, 7-3 in Miami. Brian Johnson allowed one run over six innings, marking the first time all five Boston starters have allowed less than two runs to begin a season. Christian Vazquez hit a two-run double for the Bosox.
— Bryce Harper crushed a three-run homer, walked four times and scored three runs in the Nationals’ 8-1 pounding of the Braves. Harper already has three home runs and seven RBIs in four games this season. Tanner Roark allowed one run in seven innings to help Washington improve to 4-0 for the first time since the franchise moved from Montreal.
— Pitcher Mike Mikolas belted a tiebreaking, two-run homer and Paul DeJong added a three-run blast to help the St. Louis Cardinals beat Milwaukee, 8-4 and ruin the Brewers’ home opener. Mikolas got the victory after pitching 5 2/3 innings, allowing homers by Eric Thames, Lorenzo Cain and Manny Pina but leaving with an 8-4 lead. The Florida native spent the previous three seasons with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan’s Pacific League.
— Rookie Tyler Mahle pitched one-hit ball while striking out seven over six innings to pitch the Reds to their first win in four games this season, 1-0 over the Cubs. Raisel Iglesias struck out Anthony Rizzo with the bases loaded to end the eighth before picking up the save, closing out Chicago’s second consecutive shutout loss. Eugenio Suarez led the lone scoring rally with a fourth-inning triple before coming home on Adam Duvall’s groundout.
— The Tigers picked up their first victory under new manager Ron Gardenhire as Victor Martinez drove in three runs and Francisco Liriano pitched into the seventh inning of a 6-1 win over the Royals. Liriano gave up a run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings to win his Tigers debut. Martinez delivered a two-run single in a four-run fifth that put Detroit ahead, 5-1.
— Russell Martin hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning to send the Blue Jays to their third straight win, 4-2 over the White Sox. Josh Donaldson and Aledmys Diaz each smacked a solo shot and Jaime Garcia held Chicago to a run over six innings in his first start for Toronto.
— The Pirates rode Colin Moran’s first-inning grand slam to a 5-4 victory against Minnesota. Winning pitcher Jameson Taillon tied a career high with nine strikeouts and held the Twins to two runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings of the Pirates’ home opener. Gregory Polanco added an RBI double and reached base five times for the Bucs, who are off to their first 4-0 start in 35 years.
— Jed Lowrie’s two-out, two-run double in the seventh pushed the Athletics past the Rangers, 3-1. Matt Chapman homered for the second consecutive game to help Oakland stop a three-game skid. Texas received a good outing from 44-year-old starter Bartolo Colon, who allowed one run and seven hits in six innings.
— Snow caused the postponement of the Yankees’ home opener against the Rays and the Mets’ series opener versus the Phillies.