Jake Cave had three RBIs, while Charlie Blackmon and Sam Hilliard each recorded three hits as the Colorado Rockies made an impressive comeback to beat the Atlanta Braves 9-8 on Sunday in the final game of their three-game series.
The Rockies turned an 8-2 deficit into a 9-8 lead with a seven-run eighth inning. This was the largest deficit Colorado has overcome this season, and the seven runs scored in that inning matched their highest total for a single inning in 2024.
Before this game, the Rockies had a 3-59 record when trailing after seven innings, while the Braves were 48-2 in such situations.
“These guys have no quit in them,” Hilliard said. “I truly believe that. We never feel like we’re out of a game. We got a couple of runs there and you could feel the momentum. It’s like, alright, let’s keep going. You can just feel it.”
Before this game, the Rockies had a 2-14 record against the Braves since the start of the 2022 season and had lost nine of their last 10 games against Atlanta at Coors Field.
Blackmon and Brendan Rodgers each had two RBIs for Colorado, which had lost four of its previous six games. Cave’s two-run homer that began the rally in the eighth was his sixth home run of the season and his third this month.
Josh Rogers (2-0) got the win after allowing one run in 1 2/3 innings of relief, while Victor Vodnik earned his eighth save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning.
Joe Jiménez (1-4) took the loss for the Braves, giving up four hits and three earned runs in just 1/3 of an inning. It was his second blown save of the season.
“When things start piling up, they start leaving pitches over the plate, they start getting rushed a little bit or whatever it is,” Cave said. “That momentum is a real thing.”
Rockies starter Kyle Freeland left the game in the top of the fourth inning after being examined by a team trainer. He allowed three earned runs and four hits, including two home runs, in 3 2/3 innings.
Freeland said he suffered a “pretty big gash” on his left pinky finger, with bleeding that made it impossible for him to continue.