Ace effort by Chacin and Rockies notes

Jhoulys Chacin looking like an ace

Jhoulys Chacin is healthy and maybe better than ever.

Chacin held San Diego to three runs over seven innings to pitch Colorado to a 9-1 home victory. The righthander has now had three starts since returning from injury and has an ERA of 1.50 in them.

He looks like the ace this team desperately wants and needs.

His control, which has been an issue, is much improved, with only 4 walks in his last 18 innings.

Still only 24-years old, Chacin can have a bright future if healthy and able to control his pitches. There's no doubting his talent.

Rockies' Notes

Dexter Fowler

Dexter Fowler had but one hit Saturday and struck out twice on the night but he smacked a grand slam, his 13th homer of the season. Fowler is hitting far fewer doubles this season but his home run power and RBI production is better and his batting average are easily the best it's ever been, as in 40 points higher (.306) than his career average (.266).

Rookie Josh Rutledge had three more hits and bumped his average to .353. He's either playing fantasy camp baseball or he's a star-in-the-making. I have my beliefs. You decide yours.

Tyler Colvin doubled and homered and continues his career year too. He now has 20 doubles, 16 homers, nine triples and 61 RBI while hitting .294. He's done this in 327 at-bats so his efficiency has been as strong as his effectiveness, yes?

Sunday Notes

Can Francis break trend vs. Padres?

Jeff Francis takes the hill for Colorado on Sunday. His season ERA is 5.44, his Coors' ERA this year is 6.17 and his career ERA against the Padres is 5.52 in 133 2/3 innings. Spells doom. Or does it?

Francis just threw five shutout frames at home against the Dodgers in his last outing.

Opposing Francis will be rookie Casey Kelley, who makes his second start. He threw six shutout innings against the Braves in his MLB debut.

Rockies' Prospects Spotlight

Second baseman Charlie Culberson, who came to the Rockies in the Marco Scutaro trade with the Giants, had four hits Saturday for Triple-A Colorado Springs.

The 24-year old Culberson is hitting but .295 at altitude and not showing much power (nine doubles, 2 homers) or plate discipline (1 walk/18 strikeouts).

Nolan Arenado

Outfielder Corey Dickerson struck out three times but homered (#13 at Tulsa, #22 on the season) at Double-A and third baseman Nolan Arenado singled three times. Arenado is red-hot now, hitting .358 in August.

Joe Gardner threw seven shutout innings and didn't walk a batter for the Drillers. Talk about hot, he has a 1.67 ERA over his last 43 innings.

Jared Clark now has 24 homers and 95 RBI at High-A Modesto but has a .239 batting average and is old for his league. That said, he has been productive.

High-A pitcher Tyler "Box of Chocolates" Matzek, threw six shutout innings, walking two for Modesto.

Follow this, if you can - before the All-Star break, Matzek (first-round pick, 2009) had an ERA of 3.24 in 14 starts. Since then, his ERA has been 6.15.

His ERA in August is 5.82 and yet in two of his last three starts (13 combined innings) he's thrown shutout ball.

He remains a high risk-high reward, volatile stock.