Jul 8, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies catcher N. Hundley (4) runs to third on a sacrifice from left fielder B. Barnes (not pictured) in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
After a rain-delayed Thursday night game, the Colorado Rockies relied on a bullpen day to face off against the ace of the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.
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The Colorado Rockies relied on a mish-mash of bullpen arms — led by two pitchers who had never appeared for the team before this game — and outdueled one of the best pitchers in the National League, defeating the Atlanta Braves 5-3 on Friday night at Coors Field in Denver.
The Rockies went with newcomer Gonzalez Germen for the start, a start that would be the righy’s first since he was a minor leaguer in 2012. Germen did more than the Rockies probably expected, throwing three scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and one walk, on 34 pitches.
After Germen left the game after his three, Aaron Laffey — a newcomer from AAA Albuquerque — threw the next 2.1 innings, and while he threw the first two scoreless, he did run into trouble in the sixth when he allowed a three-run home run to Kelly Johnson.
The homer was damage, but not destruction, though, as the Rockies managed to squeeze out five runs off Braves’ ace Shelby Miller before that half inning, rocking the All Star starting pitcher for 11 hits in five innings of work.
Highlights for the Rockies at the plate included a first inning RBI double off the bat of Nolan Arenado, as well as fourth inning triples by Charlie Blackmon and Daniel Descalso that were part of a four-run frame against Atlanta’s best pitcher. Carlos Gonzalez also blasted a long home run to dead center field off Miller in the inning.
When it was all said and done, the Rockies had scored five runs on eleven hits and a walk off Miller, and took a 5-3 lead to the bullpen. LaTroy Hawkins worked out of Laffey’s sixth inning jam after the three-run home run, and ended up tossing 1.2 innings of solid, scoreless relief.
Tommy Kahnle and Boone Logan got the ball to John Axford in the ninth inning, where he worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his sixteenth save.
The Rockies and Braves play again on Saturday afternoon at Coors Field, at 2:10 pm MT. Matt Wisler of the Braves will face the Colorado Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa.