Chen set to pitch on short rest

Bruce Chen will work on short rest for the first time in 13 years. Chen will start Wednesday on three days' rest against the Astros, and he is eager to get back on the mound after a poor performance Saturday at St. Louis. Chen, who celebrated his 35th birthday Tuesday, was pulled after 40 pitches and only 1 23 innings Saturday, allowing six runs on seven hits. "I didn't pitch well at all," Chen said. "I wasn't commanding my pitches. I didn't make my pitches, and I got hit." Only once previously has Chen started on three days' rest, on June 23, 1999, while with the Braves. He held the Phillies to one unearned run in 7 23 innings. The move to push forward Chen was made to give Vin Mazzaro extra rest. Mazzaro left his Friday start after six innings due to right calf tightness. With the team off Thursday, Mazzaro won't pitch until Friday. The Royals got a strong start Tuesday from Luke Hochevar, who pitched 7 23 innings in a 2-0 win at Houston. NOTES, QUOTES -- RHP Felipe Paulino is scheduled to make a rehab start Wednesday for Class AA Northwest Arkansas. Paulino went on the disabled list after straining his right groin June 6. If he has no setbacks, he could return to the Kansas City rotation Monday against the Rays. -- RHP Luke Hochevar picked up his first victory Tuesday since May 12, when he won at Chicago. Hochevar, who held the Astros to five hits in 7 23 scoreless innings Tuesday, was 0-4 with a 5.35 ERA in his previous six starts. -- RHP Jonathan Broxton worked a hitless ninth, although he walked a batter, to log his 17th save in 20 opportunities. Broxton has 16 saves since April 26. Only Santiago Casilla of the Giants has more saves since then, 18. -- 1B Billy Butler, who hit his 13th home run in the 2-0 victory over the Astros, has reached base in 35 of his past 40 games. In that span, starting May 5, Butler is hitting .312 with 44 hits, 17 walks and two hit-by-pitches. -- RHP Vin Mazzaro will start Friday against the Cardinals on six days of rest following an off day Thursday. That will give Mazzaro extra time after he left his start last Friday at St. Louis after six innings with tightness in his right calf. BY THE NUMBERS: .360 -- SS Alcides Escobar's batting average in his past 10 games after he went 2-for-4 and drove in a run Tuesday in Kansas City's 2-0 victory at Houston. QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's been a long time coming. It hasn't been pretty at all. To finally get a knock is pretty awesome." -- RHP Luke Hochevar, who singled in the second inning for his first big-league hit. Hochevar was 0-for-13 with nine strikeouts entering the game.