Hitting hero, Andrelton Simmons
photo by Tim Evearitt
ATLANTA -- Andrelton Simmons ended a crazy see-saw slugfest when he delivered a walk-off triple that provided the Braves a 9-8, 10-inning win over the Rockies on Monday night at Turner Field.
Dan Uggla drew a leadoff walk against Edgmer Escalona and then scored the winning run from first base when Simmons delivered his game-winning triple to the left-center field gap. The Braves shortstop, who finished with three hits, was mobbed by his teammates after he reached third base.
After spending this weekend playing near flawless ball on the way to claiming a three-game sweep of the Cardinals, the Braves displayed their ability to win what was a rather messy affair. They erased a five-run deficit with a six-run third inning, reclaimed a lead in the fifth and then had to overcome Jordan Walden's blown save in the ninth.
With Craig Kimbrel having pitched the previous three nights, Walden was given a chance to record his first save since April 20, 2012. But the former All-Star closer's attempt was foiled when he issued a one-out walk to Dexter Fowler and then surrendered consecutive singles to DJ LeMahieu and Carlos Gonzalez.
After Gonzalez matched a career-high five-hit performance with his game-tying single, Scott Downs, who was acquired earlier in the day from the Angels, entered with the bases loaded and two outs. The veteran left-hander escaped the threat when he snared the first-pitch line drive that Todd Helton sent right back at him.
Downs also left a runner stranded at third base in the top half of the 10th inning to earn the win in his Braves debut.
Brandon Beachy displayed expected signs of rust as he allowed seven earned runs and eight hits while making his first start since undergoing the major elbow procedure on June 21, 2012. His troubles began when Fowler opened the game with a double and scored on Gonzalez's one-out single.
After hanging a slider that Wilin Rosario hit the other way over the right-center field wall in the second inning, Beachy struggled to get through Colorado's three-run third inning.
Michael Cuddyer provided the big blow with a two-run triple and then scored on a Helton sacrifice fly that gave the Rockies a 5-0 lead.
The Braves quickly erased that deficit when they scored six runs against Jorge De La Rosa in the bottom half of the inning.
Joey Terdoslavich got things started with a leadoff double and Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado aided the hosts when he fumbled Evan Gattis' potential inning-ending double play grounder with the Rockies holding a 5-1 advantage. That allowed Chris Johnson to deliver a two-run double before Simmons gave Atlanta a short-lived lead with a two-out RBI single.
Beachy allowed Arenado to open the fourth with a game-tying home run and then saw his night end when he allowed a two-out single to LeMahieu, who scored on a go-ahead wild pitch David Carpenter uncorked before getting Helton to ground out to end the inning.
Johnson, who leads the National League with a .340 batting average, began Atlanta's two-run fifth inning with a single and then scored from first base on Dan Uggla's double. Terdoslavich gave the Braves another lead when he singled to right off De La Rosa, who was charged with eight runs (five earned) and 10 hits in five innings.
--- Source: MLB.com