Braves (5) Go the Distance Again Before Sending Rockies (4) Packing in Round 2

Game 1: Rockies 6, Braves 3
Colorado used two-run innings in the first and third to cruise to an easy 6-3 victory in the opening game of its series against Atlanta. Trevor Story set the tone early with a 444-foot missile off Braves ace Mike Foltynewicz that turned an Atlanta 1-0 lead into a 2-1 deficit in the first. The Rockies extended their lead to 4-1 in the third on a Charlie Blackmon run-scoring double and a single by DJ LeMahieu that plated Blackmon. From there, each Atlanta score was answered by a Rockies tally, capped off by a solo homer by Nolan Arenado in the seventh. Carlos Gonzalez and Chris Ianetta rapped out three hits apiece to back the solid pitching of Kyle Freeland and three relievers who combined to allow one hit over the final three innings.

Game 2: Braves 4, Rockies 3
The Braves were able to salvage a split on the road thanks to homers by Freddie Freeman, Tyler Flowers and Lane Adams, and a second straight strong outing by starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez. Colorado struck first in the bottom of the first when Gonzalez singled in Ian Desmond who had doubled to lead off the inning. Atlanta knotted the game at 1-1 in the top of the second when Flowers doubled in Nick Markakis, then took a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Freeman homered down the right field line. The Braves increased their lead to 3-1 in the seventh on Flowers’ solo shot to deep left, but the Rockies tied the score at 3-3 courtesy of three singles, two groundouts, an error and a passed ball. Adams came off the bench and homered in the eighth to put Atlanta up 4-3 before Jonny Venters and Arodys Vizcaino wrapped up the win.

Game 3: Braves 18, Rockies 5
Believe it or not, this was a close game for 4 ½ innings before all Hell broke loose. Atlanta manufactured a run in the first when Ronald Acuna Jr. led off with a single, stole second and came home on Ozzie Albies’ double. The Braves were aggressive on the base paths, knowing they’d need to score early and often to compete against Colorado’s powerful lineup, and Albies was thrown out at home when he tried to score from second on a Freeman single. Colorado took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second when Blackmon hit one into the right field seats, but the Braves jumped ahead 4-2 in the bottom of the third on doubles by Albies and Markakis following a Julio Teheran single and walk to Acuna. Colorado scored again in the fifth, but that was as close as they’d get.
Atlanta sent seven men to the plate in the fifth and Johan Carmago plated three with a homer; sent nine to the plate in the sixth and scored five, three of which came home on a Flowers four-bagger; and sent 10 batters to the plate in the seventh and scored six runs, including four on a grand slam by Carmago who drove in seven runs. Teheran wasn’t sharp but didn’t need to be.

Game 4: Rockies 2, Braves 0
Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela delivered a performance the Rockies desperately needed, surrendering only three hits and two walks through 7 2/3 shutout innings, to earn the win. Braves hurler Kevin Gausman and two relievers also allowed only three hits, but two walks, a sacrifice bunt, a Desmond single and Gerardo Parra groundout in the fifth brought home two runs and that was all Colorado needed to send the series to a fifth game.
 
Game 5: Braves 4, Rockies 2
This was a team win in every sense of the word. After two subpar performances in his first two starts, Foltynewicz was given the ball with some reluctance, but he came through in a huge way, throwing six innings of two-hit ball while fanning nine. The Braves rapped out eight hits with every starter getting one except Folty; no one scored more than one run and no one drove in more than one. Acuna Jr. led off the first with a triple and came home on a Freeman single to give Atlanta a 1-0 lead. They doubled the lead in the fourth when Flowers doubled and scored on a Dansby Swanson single, then went up 3-0 in the seventh when Carmago and Adams walked, Carmago went to third on a deep fly by Acuna, and scored on a wild pitch.
The Rockies rallied in the bottom of the seventh to make things interesting, scoring two off Chad Sobotka on three hits and two walks before Max Fried fanned Story with the bases loaded to quash the uprising. The Braves added an insurance run in the eighth, then watched Venters and Vizcaino put the game and series on ice with one perfect inning each

--submitted by Mike Lynch--
http://seamheads.com/blog/2019/01/14/braves-5-go-the-distance-again-before-sending-rockies-4-packing-in-round-2/