SportsDirect Inc. Ad
SportsDirect Inc. Ad
SportsDirect Inc. Ad
Major League Baseball
Colorado 3, Atlanta 2
When: 4:10 PM ET, Saturday, July 11, 2015
Where: Coors Field, Denver, Colorado
Temperature: 86°
Umpires: Home - Paul Emmel, 1B - Cory Blaser, 2B - Mark Ripperger, 3B - Jeff Kellogg
Attendance: 40620

DENVER -- Carlos Gonzalez blooped a single with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth, giving the Colorado Rockies a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

The ball landed in short left-center, beyond shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who was drawn in. Onrushing center fielder Cameron Maybin had the best chance to make the catch but was only able to grab the ball on a bounce.

The hit capped a bizarre game-winning rally that included an infield hit that was the result of a serious injury, a batter getting hit with an 0-2 pitch, a walk and, finally, Gonzalez's flare that gave the Rockies their third walk-off win of the season and third straight win over the Braves in this series.

"Sometimes you have to win games that way," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "It wasn't a big blast or anything we were able to walk off on. We just needed a point, and we got it."

Left fielder Drew Stubbs led off the ninth with a bouncer to first that became an infield single. Closer Jason Grilli ran to cover first but went down suddenly in severe pain and had to be taken off the field on a cart. He has a ruptured left Achilles tendon.

"The pain he was in on the field was cruel," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

David Aardsma relieved Grilli (3-4) and hit center fielder Charlie Blackmon with an 0-2 pitch. Aardsma struck out third baseman Nolan Arenado but loaded the bases by walking shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who learned during the game that he had been named to the National League All-Star team.

Gonzalez drove in all of the Rockies' runs. He hit a two-run homer in the first, his 13th homer of the season and second in as many games. Gonzalez also had a key assist in the eighth: He went into the right field corner and played first baseman Chris Johnson's hit high off the wall and threw him out at second base as he tried for a double.

The winning pitcher was LaTroy Hawkins (2-1), who retired the side in the ninth after the Braves left the bases loaded in the eighth.

Right fielder Nick Markakis led off that inning with a single and took third while Gonzalez was nailing Chris Johnson at second. Third baseman Juan Uribe was intentionally walked; and, when Kelly Johnson came up to pinch-hit, left-hander Christian Friedrich came on to face him.

Johnson hit a bouncer to first baseman Ben Paulsen, who threw to third base -- Markakis got back just ahead of the throw. Friedrich retired shortstop Andrelton Simmons on a fly to short center and struck out catcher Ryan Lavarnway to end the threat.

"After they didn't score with the bases-loaded jam, we had our opportunity, and we took advantage of it," Gonzalez said.

With the Braves' infield playing in, Gonzalez said he knew his game-winning flare had a chance to drop.

"Everything was going to depend on Stubbs' read," Gonzalez said. "It's one of those plays (when) you don't know if you're supposed to tag or stay halfway. But it was perfect. It was good enough to get that winning run."

Both starting pitchers went six innings and threw well. Colorado's Jorge De La Rosa gave up four hits and two runs on solo homers -- to third baseman Juan Uribe in the second, his eighth of the season, and catcher Ryan Lavarnway in the third, his first homer since Sept. 4, 2013, when he was playing with the Boston Red Sox.

De La Rosa struck out five of the first six batters and finished with seven strikeouts and two walks in his 96-pitch effort as he again dealt with a tender left middle finger.

"The finger is still a bit of an issue," Weiss said. "Usually after 80-85 pitches, it balloons up on him, but he did a great job getting through six."

In his fifth career start, Matt Wisler gave up two runs on Gonzalez's homer and nothing else. Wisler allowed six hits, walked three and struck out seven.

"Wisler was terrific," Gonzalez said. "He showed some poise after the home run, especially in this place with a young pitcher experiencing it for the first time. This was his fifth start. He pitches more like a veteran than a rookie."

NOTES: Rockies LHP Rex Brothers was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque, where he was 4-1 with three saves and a 4.71 ERA in 32 games. Brothers faced three batters in the seventh, walking two and throwing a wild pitch. He threw just four of 15 pitches for strikes. To make room on the roster, LHP Aaron Laffey was designated for assignment. He had made his Rockies debut on Friday night. ... Braves RHP Shelby Miller is 0-1 with a 9.39 ERA (eight runs in 7 2/3 innings) and has allowed 17 hits in two starts at Coors Field. He lost there Friday, giving up 11 hits and five runs in five innings. In two starts at home against the Rockies, Miller is 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA (15 innings, one run), allowing six hits. ... Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado is the fifth player in franchise history with at least 24 home runs and 69 RBIs before the All-Star break. ... Braves CF Cameron Maybin went 0-for-5, ending his career-high-tying 10-game hitting streak.
Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
Atlanta   Colorado
Matt Wisler Player Jorge De La Rosa
No Decision W/L No Decision
6.0 IP 6.0
7 Strikeouts 7
6 Hits 4
3.00 ERA 3.00
Hitting
Atlanta   Colorado
Juan Uribe Player Charlie Blackmon
2 Hits 3
1 RBI 0
1 HR 0
5 TB 5
.667 Avg .750
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Hits HR TB Avg LOB K RBI BB SB Errors
Atlanta 6 2 13 .182 16 8 2 5 0 0
Colorado 10 1 18 .294 22 11 3 5 0 0