The Atlanta Braves entered this series against the Colorado Rockies with much confidence. They had just finished toppling a good Arizona Diamondbacks team for their first road series win of the season and were dealing with a Rockies squad that could end up going down as one of the worst teams to ever set foot on a diamond in MLB history. That’s right, the Rockies are already in danger of potentially joining the 2024 Chicago White Sox as one of the worst teams in the history of the league. This is a reminder to Braves fans that it could always be worse, much worse.
The Braves offense was swinging the bat well coming into this series and the pitching was also starting to come up big when they were needed the most. As such, it seemed feasible that Atlanta could go into Colorado and pick up a sweep while also reaching .500. The stage was set and hopefully the Braves would take advantage and avoid disappointment in the Rocky Mountains. Let’s take a look at how this series played out.
Atlanta Braves vs. Colorado Series Recap
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Game 1: Braves 6, Rockies 3
Atlanta quickly fell behind 3-0 in the first inning of this one after Bryce Elder threw one of his signature hangers that Hunter Goodman would not miss, resulting in a three-run home run. For long stretches of the 2024 season, and very early in the 2025 season, the Braves offense was nothing short of horrid, so it was understandable for some fans to be concerned and wonder if Atlanta’s offense could muster up the four runs needed to turn the game around completely.
Fortunately, this offense appears to be in a groove, as they were able to chip away at the three-run deficit pretty quickly before eventually tying the game in the fourth after Nick Allen delivered the game-tying infield single. The fifth ended up being the big inning for the Braves, as a two-RBI double from Michael Harris put Atlanta up 5-3. Sean Murphy would add on with an RBI single in the sixth inning. Elder calmed down after the first inning and pitched really well, and Atlanta’s bullpen locked down the Rockies the rest of the way to make sure that the game ended 6-3.
Game 2: Braves 8, Rockies 2
AJ Smith-Shawver was called upon to start this one and he delivered another solid outing. When you consider that three of his four starts have come against a stacked San Diego Padres lineup, the Tampa Bay Rays with a stadium that has the exact same dimensions as Yankees Stadium, and the most hitter-friendly ballpark in all of baseball, Coors Field, the fact that he’s only allowed two runs in each of those three starts is impressive. Smith-Shawver got into the sixth inning and struck out five while only giving up four hits and a walk, and he would’ve likely pitched much longer if not for getting hit in the arm by a liner.
While Smith-Shawver was busy dealing with the Rockies, Atlanta’s offense picked up on Tuesday night where they left off on Monday night against Colorado. Harris delivered a go-ahead two-RBI double in the second inning and then he restored the Braves two-run lead with a productive out that made it 3-1 in the fourth inning. Not long after that, Allen brought in a pair as he hit an opposite-field single that made it 5-1 Braves at that point and the inning would eventually end 6-1.
Austin Riley added a pair of RBIs in the sixth and eighth innings that brought us to our final score of 8-2. While Atlanta did a great job of keeping the momentum going at the plate, this game also showed just how bad the Rockies are. A lot of sloppy baseball from Colorado definitely contributed to Atlanta’s success in this one but you won’t see the Braves fanbase complaining about it.
Game 3: Rockies 2, Braves 1
Chris Sale had what was quite clearly his best start of the season. Sale went seven innings and only gave up two runs while striking out ten batters and walking none. Sale has been desperately searching for a start like this one all season and he finally got it. The Braves hope this is the start of Sale going on another tear, one similar to the one that helped propel him to the NL Cy Young Award last season.
However, Sale’s great performance ended up going in smoke as far as the game was concerned, as the Braves’ offense fell flat against Chase Dollander and the Rockies bullpen. This was another one of those games where every time the Braves hit the ball hard, it was destined to land in a glove instead of on the grass. While it’s disappointing for Atlanta to drop a game against a team of this caliber, the disappointment was at least countered by the fact that the Braves were headed home with a productive 4-2 road trip under their belts.
Final Thoughts
A sweep would’ve been fantastic for the Braves, as it would’ve meant that Atlanta would somehow be escaping the turbulent month with a .500 record. Instead, they’re still within striking distance of reaching this mark and they’re finally beginning to figure out ways to win on the road. While Atlanta’s road record is still pretty disappointing at 6-13, that’s much better than the 2-11 record that they had away from home at the start of this road trip.
While winning a series against the Rockies may not be as impressive as taking a series in Arizona was, the two wins the Braves picked up in Colorado count just the same as the ones they picked up in the desert. This was exactly what Atlanta needed to get things back on track as far as their road form goes and they have to be feeling pretty good as they return home for a big weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The difficulty level is certainly going to spike this weekend, but for now, the Braves are coming home after taking care of business in Colorado and will look to continue their streak of winning series.
Main Image: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
