Atlanta Braves vs Colorado Rockies Box Score on Aug 15, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Aug 16, 2017

DENVER -- The play seemed almost automatic, a one-hopper in the eighth inning Tuesday night to Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado, known for making jaw-dropping plays almost nightly.

But the Atlanta Braves scored an unearned run on Arenado's low throw with two outs and beat the Rockies 4-3. Colorado's continued offensive malaise put it in a position where a defensive miscue was costly.

Brandon Phillips doubled with one out in the eighth against Pat Neshek (3-3). Freddie Freeman followed with an opposite-field drive that Gerardo Parra hauled down in the left-field corner for the second out.

Tyler Flowers then hit a routine grounder to third, but Arenado, winner of four straight Gold Gloves, made a low throw for his fifth error of the season. First baseman Mark Reynolds tried to make a back-handed pick-up but was unable to hold the ball, and Phillips scampered home ahead of Reynolds' throw.

Sam Freeman (2-0) worked the seventh, benefiting greatly when first baseman Freeman started a nifty 3-6-3 double play on Charlie Blackmon's grounder after pinch hitter Pat Valaika began the inning with a single.

Aroldys Vizcaino hit 100 mph with his fastball as he worked the ninth to earn his seventh save in nine opportunities.

Nick Markakis tied the game at 3 for the Braves when he hit his seventh home run, a shot to right-center with two outs in the sixth that went an estimated 429 feet. That was the final inning for Rockies starter Kyle Freeland, who allowed four hits and three runs in six innings with two fateful walks and five strikeouts.

Atlanta starter Sean Newcomb also worked six innings and gave up three runs on five hits and four walks with eight strikeouts.

Solo homers by Arenado, Reynolds and Trevor Story accounted for Colorado's runs. The Rockies have scored three runs in six straight games and have lost six of their past eight contests. They are 9-for-62 (.145) with runners in scoring position in that span, including 0-for-3 in such situations Tuesday.

Three solo homers gave the Rockies a 3-2 lead through fifth innings.

Arenado hit his 27th home run in the first, and Reynolds tied the game at 2 when he swatted his 24th homer to open the fourth against Newcomb.

Story put the Rockies ahead when he led off the fifth with his 16th homer. It was the slumping Story's first extra-base hit since he hit his 15th homer July 29. Entering Tuesday, Story had gone 5-for-40 with 19 strikeouts since.

With one out in the fifth, Blackmon walked and dashed to third on DJ LeMahieu's single. Newcomb retired Arenado on a pop up but walked Reynolds on four pitches to load the bases before getting Gerardo Parra to fly to left.

Freeland, who was reinstated from the disabled list Tuesday after missing one start because of a left groin strain, made multiple mistakes in the second inning and paid for it.

After issuing two walks, he got ahead of No. 8 hitter Dansby Swanson 0-2. But Swanson, who was hitting .210, turned on a fastball and drove it into the left-field corner for a two-out, two-run double that put the Braves ahead 2-1.

Freeland gave up a two-out double to Freeman in the third but struck out Flowers. Freeland also struck out Phillips to end the fifth with a runner on third.

NOTES: Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (left groin strain) was reinstated, and LHP Zac Rosscup was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. ...Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado was back in the lineup. He suffered a left wrist contusion when hit with a pitch Sunday and pinch hit Monday. ...Rockies LHP Tyler Anderson threw his first bullpen session from 60 feet, 6 inches since he underwent left knee surgery July 3. ...Braves CF Luke Adams made his first start in his 45th game this season. ...Braves CF Ender Inciarte, who fouled a ball off his right foot Monday, was given a rest day. He had started all but two of Atlanta's previous 115 games. ...Braves 2B Ozzie Albies led off for the first time after batting seventh or eighth in his first 12 major league games.