Major League Baseball

Braves-Rockies opener postponed

Published Apr. 23, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

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The game between the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies, the teams with the best record in the majors, was delayed because of snow.

The Braves and Rockies both entered their three-game series that was set to start Monday with 13-5 records, and they'll remain that way another day because Denver was hit with another snowstorm.

The game was rescheduled as part of a split-doubleheader on Tuesday, with the first game set for 1:10 p.m and the previously scheduled night game at 6:40 p.m.

With the Braves cooling off after a 12-1 start, manager Fredi Gonzalez wasn't all that upset over the postponement, though he didn't relish the notion of playing in cold weather.

''It's part of the game,'' Gonzalez said. ''I'll look for a little disruption. We just lost three in a row to the Pirates.''

Atlanta's Mike Minor (2-1) is set to pitch the first game against Jeff Francis (1-1), with Julio Teheran (0-0) starting the night game against Colorado's Jon Garland (2-0). They'll likely be pitching in cold weather. Tuesday's forecast calls for temperatures in the low 30s with the possibility of snow lasting through the morning and possibly up until game time.

The postponement was the third in eight days at Coors Field because of snow. The Rockies and New York Mets played a split-doubleheader last Tuesday. The game was rescheduled for June 27.

Colorado enters coming off its first loss in nine home games this season, a 5-4 setback Sunday to Arizona.

Neither Rockies manager Walt Weiss nor Rockies players were made available to reporters Monday.

The Braves will be getting additional help. Freddie Freeman was set to come off the 15-day disabled list after recovering from a strained right oblique.

Gonzalez said Freeman will be ready to play Tuesday.

''He's good,'' Gonzalez said. ''A couple of guys may not play both games, give somebody a breather, but Free's good.''

Gonzalez did say that Dan Uggla, who had to leave the game early Saturday because of a left calf strain, probably would play only one of the two games Tuesday.

''All of a sudden he comes out of the game because he had a calf thing and then he plays 18 innings? I don't think that's smart,'' Gonzalez said.

Freeman, who was 7 for 17 with a home run and seven RBI before straining his right oblique April 6, said he's anxious to get back on the field.

''The last 15 days have been hard watching the team on TV,'' he said. ''I'm off the DL, so I'm happy.''

Freeman was a little wary of resuming play at Coors Field, however. During a series in Colorado a year ago, a wind storm left Freeman with a dry eye condition that bothered him for weeks.

''I was excited (to come off the DL), but then I was like, `Oh, man, that's where my eyes went bad,''' Freeman said. ''Hopefully the wind dies down and I can get through the series OK.''

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