DENVER – The Braves drew eight walks in the first five innings Sunday against the Rockies, yet failed to score until the seventh inning. This was particularly problematic considering they trailed 7-0 after four innings.
It was that kind of day and that kind of series for the Braves, who saw Tyrell Jenkins get pummeled in a 7-2 loss that gave the Rockies a four-game sweep and a 10-game winning streak against the Braves at Coors Field.
The only time the Braves scored more than three runs in any of those 10 games was in Saturday’s 8-4 loss, and they were outscored 26-12 and out-homered 9-1 in the four-game series.
“We didn’t play good in any facet of the game,” Braves left fielder Jeff Francoeur said. “We didn’t hit, we didn’t pitch great. Just a disappointing series, especially with the way we ended the first half, when we went out playing really well. We just haven’t been able to pick it up in the second half, and that’s the frustrating part, when you come in here and they just … beat us bad. They beat us bad.”
Jenkins (0-2) allowed eight hits, seven runs, five walks and three homers in just 3 1/3 innings in his third major league start and his first bad outing. He gave up four runs in the first inning including a three-run homer to No. 3 hitter Nolan Arenado, after a leadoff single by Charlie Blackmon and a DJ LeMahieu walk.
“Just didn’t execute pitches in the first,” Jenkins said. “Let those two guys on early and then that pitch to Arenado was up and he made me pay for it. This lineup here, that’s how they are. You’ve got to pitch probably one of your best games.”
He also gave up homers to LeMahieu and scorching-hot rookie Trevor Story in the fourth, Story’s a 456-foot blast that chased Jenkins from the game and raised the shortstop’s National League-leading total to 27 homers.
“Leaving the ball up here hurts you,” Jenkins said, “and walks against this lineup hurts you – they’ve got guys that will make you pay for it, one through nine. Today’s a learning experience. I let the team down, but I’ll get ready for the next one.”
Seven games into a nine-game, three-city trip to Cincinnati, Colorado and Minnesota in which Braves thought they could win more than they lost, they’ve instead posted a 1-6 record. They have Monday off in Minneapolis before a two-game series against a last-place Twins team that’s heated up in the past three weeks.
“I still feel like they’re fighting, they’re grinding,” Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said. “It’s just not happening right now. Everybody has (injuries), we’re not any different than anybody else. Just having a hard time scoring any runs, pretty much. And when we get guys on we’re leaving a lot of guys on. It’s tough when you get that situation, everybody wants to be the guy and you start pressing a little bit.”
The Braves were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position Sunday and 6-for-34 in the series. They’ve lost 13 of their past 18 games and scored more than four runs twice in that span.
Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood (9-6) entered with a 6.26 ERA, .315 opponents’ average and seven homers allowed in nine home starts, and proceded to post this most unusual line against the Braves: five innings, one hit, no runs, a career-high eight walks and six strikeouts.
The Braves have lost 14 of their past 16 against the Rockies and been swept in consecutive four-game series at Coors Field, where their last win was June 10, 2014. The Rockies have outscored them 74-28 during the 10-game winning streak at Coors Field, which ties a Colorado franchise record.
The Braves last won in Denver on June 10, 2014, when Mike Minor got shelled for 11 hits and eight runs in four innings but the Braves rocked Colorado starter Juan Nicasio for 11 hits and 10 runs in 3 2/3 innings of a 13-10 win. The Braves’ 16 hits and five extra-base hits that day in 2014 included homers by Andrelton Simmons, Evan Gattis and Freddie Freeman.
On Sunday, only one starting pitcher got shelled and only one team put up much offense. Atlanta hitters mustered one hit in the first five innings and five hits in all, including one extra-base hit.
The Braves were shut out until Freeman’s RBI double in the seventh inning gave them their first run, after a Jace Peterson walk. Freeman would score on a Nick Markakis ground out.
The tone for the day was set when Chatwood gave up consecutive walks and a single to the first three batters of the game, but came out unscathed. Peterson was caught stealing – he’s been caught 14 times in 29 career attempts – and Markakis struck out with two on before Francoeur grounded out to end the inning.
Chatwood also walked two in the second inning and two in the fifth, but the Braves failed to even advance a runner to third base in either of those innings.
There were 98 pitches thrown in the first two innings, including 37 in the first inning by Jenkins.
