The Atlanta Braves fall to the Rockies in 10 innings after late comeback

The game was played in 50-degree weather, which was still much warmer than Friday’s game which started out at 27-degrees and went as low at 24-degrees at times.

A tough game that was an emotions roller coaster through 10 innings. The Atlanta Braves started out promising when Ender Inciarte knocked a lead-off double in the first inning. However, they couldn’t capitalize on it. For the bottom of the first, Braves starter, Aníbal Sánchez had a tough time getting outs. Sánchez had full counts twice in the inning.

The first was against Charlie Blackmon who drew the count full before striking out. D.J. LeMahieu then grounded out before Nolan Arenado drew a full count that lead to a walk. Sánchez  followed with a strikeout to Carlos González to avoid damage.

In the third inning, Carlos Pérez laced a first pitch single to right. Sánchez  then intended to do a sacrifice bunt but bounced it to close to first base. Pérez got thrown out at 2nd in an attempted double-play but Sánchez got by. Sadly, however, Inciarte comes up grounds into a double-play.

Finally Points

Sánchez started throwing a lot of pitches again as Blackmon got the count full before getting walked. LeMahieu and Arenado then hit back-to-back singles, scoring Blackmon. The Rockies up 1-0. Arenado got caught stealing while González flied out to end the inning.

The Rockies continued their offense in the fourth when Trevor Story launched solo homer to left.

In the sixth inning, Lane Adams came out to hit for Sánchez and after strike one, got four straight balls for a walk. After Inciarte flied out, Ozzie Albies bunted into a sacrifice. Albies dashed down the line but was thrown out on a nice play by catcher Tony Wolters. It was a close call in which the Braves unsuccessfully challenged.

It’s okay. Up comes Freddie Freeman. On a 2-2 count, Freeman blasted one to deep left for a RBI double. Braves cut the lead down to 2-1.

Game Intensity At Maximum

Top of the ninth inning, the Rockies sent out Wade Davis to try and close the game. With one out, pinch-hitting Kurt Suzuki drew a walk. Suzuki was then swapped with Peter Bourjos. Dansby Swanson then hit a single, allowing Bourjos to move all the way to third. Ryan Flaherty than pounded a hit to center for a clutch, game-tying RBI hit. Lane Adams would then strike out, stranding two runners.

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Bottom of the ninth. AJ Minter came on to pitch and it was not his best performance. Wolters reached on a bunt single before Chris Iannetta got a walk. With two on, Blackmon was told to bunt.

With Flaherty guarding near third base, Blackmon popped one up in foul territory for the out. Next, LeMahieu drilled the first pitch towards center in which Albies stabbed through the air to grab before turning a double play. Extra baseball.

Inciarte, who went cold after the lead-off double struck out to start the 10th inning. Albies then got hit in the thigh to put one on. With Markakis batting and pressure on the Rockies, Albies stole second and advanced to third on the throwing error by Wolters. However, the Braves stranded him as Markakis lined one to Trevor Story for a nice jumping catch.

On Colorado’s turn, Arodys Vizcaíno came on to pitch. The whole inning, Vizcaíno was walking on a tight rope with his pitching command. Each pitch got more nail-biting. After getting lead-off man Arenado to fly out, Vizcaíno gave up a double to Carlos González. Vizcaíno then got Ian Desmond swinging three times for the strike out.

The Braves then intentionally walked Gerardo Parra to get to Story. However, Vizcaíno began to lose his command with the pressure. He moved the runners over on a wild pitch before walking Story to load the bases.

With bases loaded and two outs, Wolters came up and didn’t have to do ANYTHING. Vizcaino threw 1-2-3-4 balls to give the Rockies the walk-off walk win.

Next: The Braves Are Packing Some Heat

A close, intense game that could have went either way. The Braves take on the Rockies for the rubber match tomorrow at 3:10 ET. Sean Newcomb against Kyle Freeland.