In Atlanta, the Colorado Rockies managed to secure a victory against the Atlanta Braves with a score of 10-1 on Sunday, effectively avoiding a series sweep. This triumph came despite Grant Holmes’s impressive performance, where he struck out 15 batters.
The Rockies have been struggling this season, losing 22 of their 23 series. Their sole series victory was against Miami, achieving a sweep on the road from June 2-4. Sunday marked a change in their patterns as Austin Gomber made his season debut, pitching five innings without allowing a hit or a run.
While Holmes had a perfect game through five innings for the Braves, the opposition was able to capitalize on a couple of mistakes. Ryan Ritter benefited from a costly error by Holmes, moving to third due to a wild throw. Ritter’s advancement set up Braxton Fulford’s sacrifice fly, giving Colorado a 1-0 lead.
The game shifted dramatically in the seventh inning when Ryan McMahon hit a crucial go-ahead home run, putting the Rockies ahead. This marked the beginning of an offensive rally. Jordan Beck contributed a two-run double in the same inning, which saw the Rockies score six runs—an inning performance not witnessed on the road since June 2, 2023.
Previously, Colorado’s hitters were recording high strikeouts, tallying 19 against the Braves in their prior matchup. Holmes struck out an additional 15 Rockies batters during his 6 1/3 innings on the mound, conceding three runs with only two being earned. Despite these striking efforts, the Braves’ cumulative 35 strikeouts over two games fell just shy of breaking a historical record set by Boston in 1986.
Looking forward, Colorado will head to Washington to begin a four-game face-off, with Carson Palmquist starting on the mound. The Braves get a day to recharge before they face the New York Mets in a three-game home series starting Tuesday, with Spencer Schwellenbach slated to take the hill initially, followed by Chris Sale.