Braves at Rockies
The Colorado Rockies feature one of the best lineups in the major leagues, and after a strong showing last time out, they hope those hitters come through in Sunday’s series finale against the Atlanta Braves. The Rockies won for the third time in four games on Saturday as they posted a 3-2, 10-inning victory in which they held Atlanta’s offense in check while Charlie Blackmon, DJ LeMahieu and Nolen Arenado combined to go 4-for-12 with two walks and an RBI.
Offense primarily steals the headlines in games played at Coors Field, but Saturday’s contest featured great defense and solid pitching. The Rockies turned three double plays and their bullpen allowed just one run over 4 1/3 innings. Atlanta, which entered the day leading the majors in runs scored with 56, only plated two - including one in the ninth to force extra innings. Ryan Flaherty, who singled home the game-tying run, finished 2-for-4 to raise his average to .414.
TV: 3:10 p.m. ET, FS South (Atlanta), AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Sean Newcomb (0-1, 10.38 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Kyle Freeland (0-1, 6.75)
Newcomb’s initial start of 2018 displayed some of the same traits of his rookie season - good power pitching (six strikeouts), command issues (four walks) and the inability to wiggle out of jams as he yielded six runs (five earned) and five hits in 4 1/3 innings. The 24-year-old recorded 108 strikeouts in 100 innings but posted a 1.57 WHIP over 19 starts last season. Newcomb made two starts against the Rockies in 2017 but did not receive a decision while striking out 13 and registering a 5.91 ERA over 10 2/3 innings.
Freeland emerged as one of the driving forces behind Colorado's run to a wild-card berth last season, winning 11 games as a rookie while posting a 4.10 ERA and finishing seventh in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. The 24-year-old opened 2018 on Tuesday by giving up four runs and five hits - two homers - in 5 1/3 frames of a loss at San Diego on Tuesday. Freeland did not receive a decision in two starts against the Braves last year as he gave up seven runs in 12 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Colorado C Tony Wolters finished 2-for-3 and drew the game-winning, bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning on Saturday.
2. Atlanta closer Arodys Vizcaino issued three walks in the bottom of the 10th, including the one to Wolters, and has walked six batters in 3 2/3 innings.
3. Colorado LF Gerardo Parra, who collected only two hits in his previous 13 at-bats, went 2-for-4 with a walk on Saturday.