DENVER – Carlos Gonzalez homered and Colorado used a group approach that featured two newcomers to make up for a gap in the rotation as the Rockies beat the Atlanta Braves 5-3 on Friday night.
Daniel Descalso had a run-scoring triple and Nolan Arenado and D.J. LeMahieu added RBI doubles for the Rockies, who have won their last four games against the Braves, their longest streak ever against Atlanta.
Kelly Johnson connected for his ninth homer, a three-run shot in the sixth inning and Cameron Maybin singled in the sixth to extend his hitting streak to a career-high tying 10 games.
Gonzalez Germen, claimed off waivers from the Chicago Cubs earlier this week, was added to the big league roster and made his first major league start in place of injured David Hale. On a strict pitch limit, Germen was lifted after three scoreless innings in favor of Aaron Laffey, whose contract was selected earlier in the day by the Rockies from their Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque.
Laffey (1-0) went 2 1-3 innings, allowing four hits and three runs, all on Johnson’s homer. John Axford, the last of the Rockies’ six pitchers, got three outs for his 16th save in 17 chances.
Shelby Miller (5-5), the Braves’ lone NL All-Star, lost a career-high fourth straight decision. He allowed five runs, matching a season-high, 11 hits and struck out seven. He remains winless in his last 10 starts despite a 3.31 ERA in that span and entered with an overall ERA of 2.07, which was third-lowest in the majors.
Descalso’s RBI triple triggered a three-run fourth inning. Brandon Barnes followed with a single, and then was caught stealing, Charlie Blackmon tripled and scored on LeMahieu’s double which hit the warning track and bounced into the stands.
Leading off the fifth, Gonzalez jumped on the first pitch he saw from Miller, and drove it to straightaway center into the evergreeens beyond the wall for his 12th home run.
Rockies rumpus
Rockies’ pitcher David Hale pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief Thursday against Atlanta before leaving with a left groin strain. ... Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa (6-3) is 5-1 with a 3.14 ERA over his last seven starts despite dealing with a small cut on the middle finger of his pitching hand for much of that time.
