Rockies at Braves
The Atlanta Braves are playing for the future, and two of their top rookies look to build off productive performances of late entering in the finale of a three-game home series against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday. In the past seven games, second baseman Ozzie Albies is hitting .480 with seven extra base hits and eight runs scored after going 3-for-4 in Saturday’s 7-6 loss, while shortstop Dansby Swanson is batting .429 with six runs scored and seven walks after finishing Saturday 2-for-3.
One night after leaving Friday’s game with a left hamstring cramp, Colorado center fielder Charlie Blackmon belted a two-run, go-ahead homer in the ninth inning and enters the series finale leading the NL in hitting at .335. Second baseman D.J. LeMahieu also slugged two homers in a three-hit performance to raise his average to .315 for the Rockies. Colorado sits 3 1/2 games ahead of Milwaukee for the final National League wild-card spot after winning for just the third time in their past 11 road games. Atlanta closer Arodys Vizcaino, who had allowed only six earned runs in his past 41 games, allowed back-to-back homers to Blackmon and LeMahieu in the ninth inning Saturday in surrendering three runs.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Colorado), FSN South (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Jon Gray (5-3, 4.54 ERA) vs. Braves RH Mike Foltynewicz (10-9, 4.95)
Gray makes his 11th start since returning from a stress fracture in his left foot that disabled him for two months. He has impressed in August while the Rockies have struggled, going 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA and beating the Braves on Aug. 16 in Denver with six innings of two-run, five-hit pitching. The 25-year-old has won just once in eight road starts, posting a 5.72 ERA with five homers allowed in 39 1/3 innings.
Foltynewicz looks to snap a three-start losing streak in which he has recorded a 15.43 ERA while walking as many hitters as he has struck out (nine) in 11 2/3 innings. He surrendered six runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings Monday against Seattle, after being pounded for eight runs on nine hits in just 3 1/3 innings by the Rockies on Aug. 16. Foltynewicz went 7-1 with a 3.58 ERA in a 12-start stretch from June 2 to Aug. 5.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rockies closer RHP Greg Holland has allowed 14 runs in his past 6 1/3 innings (eight games), surrendering a two-run homer to Matt Adams in the ninth inning Saturday before being pulled.
2. Braves 2B Brandon Phillips moved within five hits of 2,000 for his career with two on Saturday.
3. Colorado hopes INF Ian Desmond (right calf strain) will be ready to come off the disabled list in time for Monday’s homestand opener against Detroit.