The Atlanta Braves beat the Colorado Rockies 14-4 on Monday night in the opener of a three-game set at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado.
The Rockies got on the board with a solo home run by Ryan McMahon in the bottom of the first inning. Austin Riley clubbed a two-run shot in the top of the third to put the Braves ahead by 2-1.
Colorado tied the game at 2-2 on an RBI double from Hunter Goodman in the fourth. Atlanta took a 4-2 lead during the fifth on a two-run homer by Ronald Acuna Jr.
The Rockies tied it up again in the bottom of that inning on an RBI single by Ezequiel Tovar and a McMahon sac fly. Kevin Pillar had a sac fly to put the Braves ahead by 5-4 in the sixth. The visiting team scored four more runs in the seventh on an RBI singles from Riley and Marcell Ozuna, an RBI double by Sean Murphy, and an RBI single by Orlando Arcia. They added five more runs during the ninth on an infield single by Pillar and three-run double from Acuna, who also reached home plate on an error.
Bryce Elder was credited with the win for Atlanta after surrendering four runs and eight hits, walking one, and striking out four through six innings of work. Karl Kauffmann was charged with the loss for Colorado.
The National League East-leading Braves improved their MLB-best record to 85-45 for the 2023 season. The Rockies are in last place of the NL West with a record of 49-82. Those teams will meet again tonight at 8:40 pm. Catch all the action on WLAQ 1410 AM/96.9 FM; airtime is 7:25 pm from the Atlanta Braves Radio Network.