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 They pounded the Atlanta Braves 11-3 for their fourth win a row,
matching their longest winning streak of the season. The Rockies
went 4-0 to start the season and won four straight in late May.
The problem was all other games aside from those three mini-surges.
Even with the latest hot streak, the Rockies (39-49) reach the
All-Star break last in the National League West, 11 games behind the
first-place Los Angeles Dodgers.
"To get a sweep is nice, end the first half on a good note," said
Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who hit a three-run homer that
capped a five-run sixth inning. "We'll try to get hot and stay hot.
I don't think we've gone on quite a (sustained) streak yet.
Hopefully, this can be the start of something."
After the Braves scored three runs in the sixth off Chad Bettis to
tie the game 3-3, the Rockies erupted for five in their half of the
inning. Center fielder Charlie Blackmon, who matched his season high
with four RBIs, broke the tie with a two-run, two-out single.
"I hate to pinpoint one pitch in an entire game with nine innings
and 200 pitches thrown by both sides," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez
said, "but that pitch right there, I think if we get him out there,
it's a different ballgame."
Two batters later, Tulowitzki, who flied out in his two previous
at-bats, hit his 10th homer and his fourth three-run shot of the
season.
"I missed some pitches earlier in the game," Tulowitzki said, "but
to come up with a big home run that made the lead a little bigger
was nice to let our pitchers relax."
The homer, which gave Tulowitzki eight RBIs in his past six games,
came against David Carpenter, who had just relieved Alex Wood (6-6).
In seventh, left fielder Drew Stubbs added his fifth homer, a
two-run shot against Carpenter.
The victory enabled Colorado go 4-2 on a homestead heading into the
All-Star break. The offensive eruption Sunday came after the Rockies
scored 17 runs in their previous five games.
The Braves go into the All-Star break with five straight losses,
matching their season high. They also dropped five straight games
from June 23-27.
Atlanta was swept in a four-game series for the first time since May
21-24, 2012, at Cincinnati.
The Braves (42-47) are seven games behind the first-place Washington
Nationals in the National League East.
"We're right there and have a chance," Braves catcher A.J.
Pierzynski said, "and then, all of a sudden something goes wrong.
But that's the way it goes sometimes. You just got to keep fighting
and keep doing it the right way. We've done that all year; we're not
going to stop now."
The Rockies went ahead 3-0 in the second on catcher Nick Hundley's
run-scoring single and Blackmon's bases-loaded, two-run single with
two outs. Blackmon had been 1-for-17 in his career with the bases
loaded. He finished with his second consecutive three-hit game, and
he posted multiple hits in a fourth straight game and for the
seventh time in his past eight games, raising his average 29 points
in that stretch to .291.
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The Braves' three-run sixth began with a bunt single and a walk.
First baseman Kelly Johnson singled home a run, as did Pierzynski
with two outs. Left fielder Jonny Gomes drove in the final run of
the inning with a ground-rule double on a ball on which Rockies
right fielder Carlos Gonzalez did not take a direct route. Gonzalez
was removed from the game in the seventh due to leg fatigue.
After Gomes' double, Bettis (5-4) intentionally walked Andrelton
Simmons to load the bases. Bettis then struck out Wood and got
second baseman Jace Peterson to ground into a fielder's choice.
"I wanted that," Bettis said of the chance to escape trouble in the
sixth. "It's not something I wanted to hand over to the bullpen just
yet. I felt like I probably had some of my best command with my
fastball today."
That was the last inning for Bettis, who set a career high with
eight strikeouts and tied his career high with five walks. He
yielded three runs on six hits, four when the Braves batted around
in the sixth.
Wood surrendered seven runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings.
NOTES: Braves RHP Mike Foltynewicz was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett
after the game. ... Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki extended his
career-high on-base streak to 38 consecutive games, which is tied
for the fourth-longest streak in Rockies history. The franchise
record of 46 straight games reaching base was set by Michael Cuddyer
in 2013. ... Rockies LHP Jorge De La Rosa and RHP Chad Bettis are
scheduled to start the first two games after the All-Star break,
Friday and Saturday at San Diego. The Rockies haven't announced how
they will set up the rest of their rotation for the second half. ...
Braves CF Cameron Maybin was scratched from the lineup due to
illness and replaced by Eury Perez. Maybin pinch-hit in the ninth
and walked. ... Braves RHP Julio Teheran, LHP Manny Banuelos and RHP
Shelby Miller are scheduled to start after the All-Star break in the
series that begins Friday against the Chicago Cubs. RHP Matt Wisler
is scheduled to start the series opener against the Dodgers on July
20 followed by LHP Alex Wood the next day. ... Atlanta RHP Jim
Johnson will close, with RHP Arodys Vizcaino an option in the wake
of RHP Jason Grilli's season-ending left Achilles rupture.
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