Bryce Elder pitched six strong innings, Michael Harris II hit a tiebreaking double in the fifth, and the Atlanta Braves defeated the struggling Colorado Rockies 6-3 on Monday night.
Colorado has lost seven consecutive games and 15 of 16, dropping to 4-24, the worst record in the majors.
Elder (1-1) gave up a three-run homer to Hunter Goodman in the first inning but settled down to allow three hits the rest of the game. He struck out four and walked two, tying his season high for innings.
Raisel Iglesias earned his fifth save by striking out Brenton Doyle with a runner on base.
Nick Allen had three hits, while Eli White, Alex Verdugo, and Sean Murphy each had two for Atlanta, which has won eight of its last ten games after starting 5-13.
The Rockies led 3-0 after Goodman’s fifth home run, but Atlanta closed the gap. The Braves scored two runs in the third and tied it in the fourth with Allen’s RBI single.
Harris put Atlanta ahead with a two-out double to right-center off Ryan Feltner (0-2).
Murphy’s single in the seventh inning gave the Braves another run.
Key moment
Jordan Beck led off the bottom of the eighth inning with his second double, and Ryan McMahon walked. However, Daysbel Hernández got Goodman to fly out and fanned Michael Toglia before Mickey Moniak lined out to first to end the threat.
Key stat:
Colorado’s starters went 2-18 this season. The only members of the rotation with wins are Antonio Senzatela and Chase Dollander, who won in his major league debut.
Up next
Colorado will start RHP Germán Márquez (0-4, 9.30 ERA) in the second game of the series. The Braves hadn’t announced a starter.
