Major League Baseball

Rockies use pair of 4-run innings to pummel Braves 11-2

Published Jul. 16, 2016 1:03 a.m. ET

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ATLANTA (AP) Walt Weiss had specific instructions for his hitters before the game.

''We talked today about getting back to what we do - grinding through at-bats, making pitchers earn every out, passing the baton to the next guy and executing well offensively when opportunities show up,'' the Rockies manager said. ''I thought we did that very well tonight.''

Colorado scored four runs in the third inning and pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn capped a big offensive performance for the Rockies with a ninth-inning grand slam in an 11-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.

After averaging 2.7 runs in its last seven road games at San Francisco and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado took advantage of baseball's worst team.

Dropping to 13-35 at home and 31-59 overall, the Braves rank last in the majors in runs scored and homers. They put some poor pitching and fielding on display, too.

Atlanta's sixth pitcher, Dario Alvarez, gave up Raburn's fourth career grand slam - his third pinch-hit homer this season.

Colorado went up 1-0 in the first on Carlos Gonzalez's RBI single and took a 5-0 lead in the third thanks to pitcher Lucas Harrell's two-base throwing error.

After Nolan Arenado's RBI single, Harrell threw wildly to shallow right field on Trevor Story's soft infield single, allowing Arenado to score from second and Gonzalez from first. Story scored on Daniel Descalso's sacrifice fly.

''I just pulled it across my body a little bit and made a bad throw,'' Harrell said. ''I probably should've held it or maybe looked to the guy going home. I didn't really check to see where he was at. It was just a mistake, and next time that won't happen.''

Colorado took a 7-0 lead in the fourth when D.J. LeMahieu had an RBI triple and scored on a wild pitch. Harrell was chased when Arenado reached on an infield single.

Harrell (1-1) allowed seven hits and seven runs - five earned - in 3 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out four in his third start for Atlanta.

Jorge De La Rosa (6-6) snapped a two-start skid, allowing eight hits, two runs and three walks in six innings. He struck out two.

''He hits some traffic, can run into some deep counts, but he has that changeup he can throw at any time,'' Weiss said. ''He can throw it to get back in counts, he can throw it to finish at-bats, he can get double plays with it. That's what he's done for years. That how he stays away from big innings.''

The Braves made it 7-1 in the fifth on pinch-hitter Brandon Snyder's RBI double. Jeff Francoeur's RBI single cut the lead to 7-2 in the sixth.

Dating to last season, the Rockies have won three straight at Turner Field for the first time since they won five in a row from Sept. 12, 1997-April 26, 1998.

THE CLOSEST CALL

Braves 1B Freddie Freeman was in the lineup after having a cancerous mole surgically removed from his upper back three days ago.

Freeman received test results Friday that abnormal cells were present, but he said he's cancer-free following the procedure. The Atlanta fan favorite and two-time All-Star said he regularly gets checkups after his mother, Rosemary Freeman, died of skin cancer in 2000 when her son was 9.

NO GUARANTEES

Suspended Atlanta OF Hector Olivera started a minor league rehab assignment, but has no guarantees he will return to the Atlanta Braves after his arrest on domestic violence charges.

Braves president of baseball operations John Hart said Olivera will play four or five days for the team's Gulf Coast League affiliate before reporting to Triple-A Gwinnett next week.

Olivera is eligible to return to the majors on Aug. 2, but the Braves have no timetables in place.

TRAINERS' ROOM

Rockies: OF Gerardo Parra, on the disabled list since June 17 with a high ankle sprain, ran the bases, but Weiss had no update regarding a rehab assignment.

Braves: C Tyler Flowers was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a broken left hand. Atlanta selected the contract of Anthony Recker from Triple-A Gwinnett to take Flowers' place.

UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP Chad Bettis (7-6) is 2-1 with a 6.35 ERA in four games - three starts - against Atlanta.

Braves: RHP Mike Foltynewicz (3-3) is 0-1 with a 1.29 ERA in one career start and two relief appearances in three games.

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