MLB

Colorado Rockies at Atlanta Braves

· Major League Baseball
Colorado Rockies
29-42, 13-23 Away
Final
3 - 8
Atlanta Braves
43-26, 21-15 Home

Ozzie Albies, AJ Smith-Shawver lead the Braves to an 8-3 win over the Rockies

Smith-Shawver (1-0) gave up three runs and six hits over 5 2/3 innings in his second career start. He struck out six, walked one and allowed two solo homers.

“He was really good,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “A lot better than his last start. There were a lot of little things I really liked. He never got really excited.”

Smith-Shawver threw 99 pitches and has a 2.03 ERA in three big league appearances after making pit stops at three minor league levels this season.

“I settled down a little bit (from his previous start),” Smith-Shawver said. “I didn't think I had my best stuff in my last start. The more starts you get, the more comfortable you get on the mound. One slider I left hanging, but I tried to minimize those pitches and give us a chance to win.”

Kevin Pillar went 2 for 3 with two RBI and Sean Murphy added three hits and two runs for the first-place Braves, who have won nine of 11.

Michael Tonkin struck out six in 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn his first career save. Atlanta's bullpen soaked up nine innings Wednesday in a doubleheader sweep at Detroit.

“To contribute and save some of the guys down in the bullpen is awesome,” Tonkin said.

Kyle Freeland (4-8) gave up seven runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.

“The second inning was tough for Kyle,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “They put some good at-bats on him and some walks came back to haunt him. Maybe his stuff wasn't as crisp as we've seen it, but that happens, right? You're going to make 33, 34 starts, you're not going to have your best stuff every start.”

Albies batted second for the first time this season and responded with a three-run double in the second that gave the Braves a 5-1 lead. The switch-hitter had three hits off Freeland, raising his average against lefties this year to .418.

Rockies catcher Elias Díaz homered onto the Hank Aaron Terrace in left field in the second, and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar led off the fourth with a home run to left-center.

Atlanta took the lead for good with a five-run second inning. Pillar drove in Murphy and Matt Olson with a two-run double. After Orlando Arcia and Ronald Acuña Jr. walked, Albies cleared the bases with a double to left field.

A sacrifice fly by Acuña scored Arcia in the fourth, and a sacrifice fly by Marcell Ozuna knocked in Murphy in the fifth. Olson added his team-leading 19th home run in the seventh off Pierce Johnson.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rockies: OF Kris Bryant (left heel bruise) joined the team in Atlanta and took batting practice for the first time since getting injured on May 30. There is no timetable for his return.

Braves: Placed reliever Jesse Chavez on the 15-day injured list after he was hit in the left shin by a grounder Wednesday against Detroit. X-rays were negative. Atlanta called up RHP Ben Heller, who hasn't pitched in the majors since 2020. He was acquired from Tampa Bay on June 6. ... RHP Kyle Wright (shoulder inflammation) has been cleared to begin a throwing program. He is likely at least two months from returning. ... LHP Max Fried (forearm strain) is three weeks into his throwing program and hasn't thrown a true bullpen or faced hitters, but Snitker said Fried is feeling good. He could be back sometime after the All-Star break.

ROSTER MOVE

The Rockies promoted catcher Jorge Alfaro from Triple-A Albuquerque and optioned catcher Brian Serven to their top farm club. Colorado signed Alfaro to a minor league deal June 10 after he was released by Boston. He hit .357 with a home run in three games before being called up. Alfaro started at DH and went 0 for 4.

TID-BITS

Acuña was called for a pitch-clock violation prior to Freeland’s first pitch of the night. ... The Rockies didn't arrive at their hotel in Atlanta until 5 a.m. on Thursday after playing a rain-delayed game in Boston on Wednesday night. ... Colorado starting pitchers have one win in the past 30 games. ... The Braves are just 5-11 against the Rockies at Truist Park.

UP NEXT

Rockies RHP Dinelson Lamet (1-3, 10.38 ERA) faces Braves LHP Jared Shuster (3-2, 5.05) on Friday night.

How can I watch Colorado Rockies vs. Atlanta Braves?
  • TV Channel: Rockies at Braves 2022 MLB Baseball, is broadcasted on MLB.tv.
  • Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.

Matchup Prediction

Braves: 64.5%
Rockies: 35.5%
*According to ESPN's Basketball Power Index

Scoring Summary

9th Inning Doyle struck out swinging.
9th Inning Montero grounded out to third, Montes to second.
9th Inning Montes singled to right.
9th Inning Alfaro struck out looking.
8th Inning Harris II popped out to second.
8th Inning Arcia struck out swinging.

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/mlb/500/col.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originCOL https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/mlb/500/atl.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originATL
1 Games Played 1
1 Team Games Played 1
0 Hit By Pitch 0
9 Ground Balls 11
12 Strikeouts 4
3 Runs Batted In 8
0 Sacrifice Hit 0
7 Hits 11
1 Stolen Bases 0
2 Walks 3
0 Catcher Interference 0
3 Runs 8
0 Ground Into Double Play 2
0 Sacrifice Flies 2
34 At Bats 31
2 Home Runs 1
0 Grand Slam Home Runs 0
11 Runners Left On Base 11
0 Triples 0
0 Game Winning RBIs 1
0 Intentional Walks 0
0 Doubles 3
13 Fly Balls 18
0 Caught Stealing 0
144 Pitches 140
0 Games Started 0
0 Pinch At Bats 0
0 Pinch Hits 0
0.0 Player Rating 0.0
1 Is Qualified 1
1 Is Qualified In Steals 0
13 Total Bases 17
36 Plate Appearances 36
324.0 Projected Home Runs 162.0
2 Extra Base Hits 4
3.5 Runs Created 6.1
.206 Batting Average .355
.000 Pinch Hit Average .000
.382 Slugging Percentage .548
.265 Secondary Average .290
.250 On Base Percentage .389
.632 OBP Pct + SLG Pct .937
0.7 Ground To Fly Ball Ratio 0.6
3.5 Runs Created Per 27 Outs 6.8
26.0 Batter Rating 52.0
17.0 At Bats Per Home Run 31.0
1.00 Stolen Base Percentage 0.00
4.00 Pitches Per Plate Appearance 3.89
.176 Isolated Power .194
0.17 Walk To Strikeout Ratio 0.75
.056 Walks Per Plate Appearance .083
.059 Secondary Average Minus Batting Average -.065
6.0 Runs Produced 16.0
1.0 Runs Ratio 1.0
0.4 Patience Ratio 0.6
0.3 Balls In Play Average 0.4
76.0 MLB Rating 98.3
0.0 Offensive Wins Above Replacement 0.0
0.0 Wins Above Replacement 0.0

Game Information

Truist Park

Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance: 38,555 | Capacity:

2024 National League West Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
Los Angeles 98 64 .605 - W5
San Diego 93 69 .574 5 L1
Arizona 89 73 .549 9 W1
San Francisco 80 82 .494 18 L1
Colorado 61 101 .377 37 L3

2024 National League East Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
Philadelphia 95 67 .586 - W1
Atlanta 89 73 .549 6 W1
New York 89 73 .549 6 L1
Washington 71 91 .438 24 L1
Miami 62 100 .383 33 W4
Full Standings