Rockies at Braves
As the Colorado Rockies open their second-half schedule Friday against the Braves in Atlanta, rookie Trevor Story hopes to find his hitting stroke after a rough start to July. The 23-year-old, who captured baseball’s attention by blasting 10 home runs in the season's first month, is hitting just .185 in July with 10 strikeouts in 27 at-bats.
The Rockies dropped seven of their first 10 games this month after finishing the first three just four games under .500. Atlanta won a major league-low 31 games before the All-Star break but is 22-30 under interim manager Brian Snitker and has been far more competitive of late. Freddie Freeman finished the first half on one of the hottest tears of his career, batting .381 with seven homers and a 1.197 OPS in his last 27 games. The Braves did suffer some bad news over the break, learning that catcher Tyler Flowers will miss four-to-six weeks with a broken left hand.
TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSN South (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Jorge De La Rosa (5-6, 5.74 ERA) vs. Braves RH Lucas Harrell (1-0, 1.32)
De La Rosa began the season in the starting rotation before posting an 11.41 ERA in six turns but has pitched well since returning from the bullpen, going 3-2 with a 2.61 ERA in five outings. He lost his final two turns before the All-Star break but was effective in the pair of seven-inning appearances, giving up two runs in a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers and three in a setback against San Francisco. The 35-year-old De La Rosa, who is two victories shy of 100 for his career, went 0-1 in two starts versus Atlanta last season.
Harrell has impressed in his first two major-league starts since 2014, allowing only two runs and seven hits in 13 2/3 innings. The 31-year-old beat Miami in his debut with Atlanta on July 2, giving up one run and three hits in six frames, and held the Chicago Cubs to one run and four hits in 7 2/3 innings of a no-decision five days later. Harrell, who signed with the Braves as a free agent on May 20, is 2-2 with a 6.53 ERA in four career appearances against Colorado.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Braves are on pace to finish 56-106, which would be the franchise’s worst record since it went 54-106 in 1988.
2. Story leads all rookies in home runs (21), launching more blasts on the road (11) than at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
3. Colorado 3B Nolan Arenado leads the National League with 70 RBIs and is hitting .287 - the average he posted in both 2014 and 2015.