Braves Crush Rockies 10-4 As Arenado Leaves With Injury
DENVER (AP) — Ender Inciarte hit two of Atlanta's four homers and the Braves beat the Colorado Rockies 10-4 on Thursday.
Freddie Freeman and Tyler Flowers also homered, and Lucas Sims (1-3) got his first win in the majors for the Braves, who managed a four-game split at Coors Field thanks to four solo shots off Colorado starter Jeff Hoffman (6-5).
The Rockies were served a potentially more serious blow in the seventh, when All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado left the game with an apparent injury to his left hand.
Arenado was eaten up by a sharp grounder from Lane Adams and left the field in pain. The ball appeared to hit the same spot where he was plunked by Miami pitcher Vance Worley on Sunday.
The Braves found a power surge early off Hoffman as Flowers hit his 10th home run of the season to lead off the second and Inciarte had a second-deck shot to start the third.
Inciarte connected again in the fifth for his 10th of the season, as well as his third career multihomer game and his second this season. Freeman added another shot a batter later to chase Hoffman and put the Braves up 4-2.
The Braves added six runs in the seventh, an inning which included a two-run double from Matt Adams, a two-run triple from Dansby Swanson and the injury to Arenado.
The Rockies' bats struggled after scoring 17 runs on Wednesday night. They have now scored three or fewer runs in nine of their past 10 games.
Charlie Blackmon had three hits, including a homer and two doubles to lead the Rockies. Jonathan Lucroy also had three hits.
Hoffman allowed four runs in 4 1/3 innings. He has not recorded a win in his previous six outings.
OZZIE FLASHES SPEED
In the second, Braves rookie Ozzie Albies soared around the bases for his first major league triple, losing his helmet in the process. The 20-year-old also legged out a single and recorded his first stolen base in the seventh.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Braves: OF Matt Kemp, on the 10-day disabled with a right hamstring strain since July 29, will take part in conditioning drills Friday and will be re-evaluated.
Rockies: C Ryan Hanigan, who was supposed to give Lucroy a day off, was a late scratch Thursday with a stomach bug.
UP NEXT
Braves: RHP R.A. Dickey (8-7, 3.89) takes the mound for Atlanta as it opens a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday. The 42-year-old knuckleballer has allowed one or fewer runs in seven of his last 10 starts.
Rockies: RHP German Marquez (9-5, 4.13) will oppose Milwaukee's Matt Garza as the Rockies open a three-game series against the Brewers on Friday. Marquez is coming off one of his worst outings of the season, allowing five runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Miami Marlins on Sunday.
By BRENT W. NEW, Associated Press
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