DENVER (AP) — Matt Olson had two homers and a career-high six RBIs, Marcell Ozuna and Jorge Soler homered, and the Atlanta Braves broke a six-game losing streak with an 11-8 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night.
Olson hit a two-run homer off Angel Chivilli (0-1) to break an 8-8 tie in the seventh inning and Soler added a solo shot in the eighth to help the Braves avoid their longest losing streak in nearly eight years (Aug. 13-20, 2016).
Atlanta overcame an early 3-0 deficit on Sam Hilliard’s three-run homer off starter Max Fried and lost an 8-5 lead in the sixth inning before rallying for the win.
“As hard as it’s been for us to put together a game, it’s huge,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “That could have been a ‘here we go again’ type of thing, but these guys have played here long enough to know these games are never over until they are over. Anything can happen.”
Hilliard had a homer, two doubles and a career-high five RBIs for the Rockies, who have lost 10 of their last 11 against the Braves at Coors Field.
Ozuna homered for the third straight game, and Olson had his second two-homer game in 10 games after hitting two against Milwaukee on July 31. Soler had three hits and three RBIs and has homered in back-to-back games.
“I just wanted to pull the ball,” said Olson, hitting after Ozuna opened the seventh with a double. “Just had to try to get him to third base. Was able to kind of lift the changeup a little bit. The quality of at-bats have been better than they were earlier in the year, but there is always room to grow.”
Brendan Rodgers and Brenton Doyle had two hits for Colorado, and Ezequiel Tovar had a two-run double in a three-run sixth that tied the back-and-forth game at 8-8.
Former Colorado right-hander Pierce Johnson (5-4) pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win for Atlanta, striking out Kris Bryant looking with the go-ahead runner on second to end the sixth.
Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth for his 24th save in 26 chances.
“Guys kept fighting the fight,” Snitker said. “It was a good ballgame to win.”
Olson and Hilliard were the main sources of the game’s early scoring. Olson hit a grand slam off Colorado starter Dakota Hudson to cap a five-run third for a 5-3 lead, one inning after Hilliard’s homer opened the scoring. Hudson was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque for the start.
Hilliard drove in two runs with a looping double to right-center that dropped between three fielders to tie the game at 5-5 in the third.
“Timing was on tonight,” Hilliard said. “The swing feels good. It’s just a matter of putting it all together and being on time.”
Ozuna’s homer and Soler’s two-run single put Atlanta up 8-5 after six innings, but the Rockies tied it on Tovar’s two-run double and Doyle’s single.
Fried gave up seven hits and five runs (four earned) in five innings, with nine strikeouts and three walks in his second appearance after returning from the injured list. He retired the final seven he faced and joined John Smoltz and Julio Teheran as the only Atlanta pitchers with 800 career strikeouts in 160 games or fewer.
“Just out of synch, out of rhythm,” Fried said. “(The IL stint) is definitely a factor, but at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter. We’re out here to win games. I take the ball expecting to be myself and give us a chance to win. Fortunate guys really picked me up tonight.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: OF Ramon Laureano (heel) was removed for a pinch-hitter in the fourth inning. He appeared to suffer the injury when he beat out an infield single in the third. … OF Michael Harris II (left hamstring) was 3 for 4 with a homer in a rehab game for Triple-A Gwinnett on Saturday. He is expected to rejoin the Braves when eligible on Wednesday.
Rockies: RHP Cal Quantrill (forearm soreness) has been pushed back. His next start has not been scheduled. … OF Nolan Jones (back) was 2 for 4 with a homer and a double in his third rehab appearance for Triple-A Albuquerque on Saturday. … LHP Chasen Shreve was designated for assignment to create a roster spot for Hudson.
NEXT UP
Colorado LHP Kyle Freeland (3-5, 5.65) ERA is to oppose Atlanta RHP Spencer Schwellenbach (4-5, 4.04) in the rubber game of the series. Freeland, removed from his last start Tuesday because of a blister on his left index finger, has made quality starts in six of eight starts since returning from the injured list.
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