Both teams are trying to find their way back up the mountain starting on Friday night in a three-game series between the Atlanta Braves (60-54) and Colorado Rockies (42-74) at Coors Field.
The Braves are out of playoff position for the first time this season after getting swept at home by the Milwaukee Brewers. Their losing streak sits at five, including two losses to end another home series with the Miami Marlins. Now, the Braves will stray away from the comforts of home and try to find their form again out West.
There might not be a better team for Atlanta to rebound against than the Rockies. Colorado has also lost its past two games at home to the New York Mets and have lost four of their past five.
Last season, the Braves went a perfect 7-0 against the Rockies, sweeping them in both team's houses. Atlanta is also 13-1 versus Colorado in the last two years and 139-93 against them all-time.
Pitching matchups
-Friday: RHP Grant Holmes (0-0, 3.00) vs. Tanner Gordon (0-3, 6.75)
Game one is a matchup of two rookies.
Holmes is getting his third career big-league start after transitioning from the bullpen. The 28-year-old has totaled 9.2 innings with four runs allowed on 10 hits and 12 Ks between two starts. Oppositely, Gordon is making his fourth start, and he's coming off some tough luck – he got a no-decision in a Rockies loss despite allowing one run on one hit versus the San Diego Padres last time out.
-Saturday: LHP Max Fried (7-6, 3.40) vs. RHP Cal Quantrill (7-9, 4.56)
In game two, we get to the veteran "reliables."
Fried is trying to get back to his reliable self in his second start off the injured list; the Braves' No. 1 starter got knocked out after allowing five runs on five walks and four hits in 3.1 innings last time out against the Marlins. On the other end, seven-year veteran Quantrill has been blown up in his last few starts as well; he has allowed 20 earned runs in 22 innings over his last five appearances.
-Sunday: TBA vs. Kyle Freeland
The Braves have a decision to make for game three, but it might be a pretty simple one.
The Braves skipped Spencer Schwellenbach's last start in the rotation to help manage his workload, but he'll be on nine days of rest by the time Sunday rolls around. Reynaldo López won't be ready to come off the injured list until Aug. 18, so it will be Schwellenbach or else Atlanta will be looking back to call someone from the minors – in which case Bryce Elder would be the likely choice.
For the Rockies, Colorado "lifer" Kyle Freeland will take the ball looking to reverse his historically poor performance against Atlanta. The eight-year Rockies lefty is 1-4 with a 6.26 ERA in eight career appearances versus the Braves.
Keys to Victory
The Braves just got outscored 34-12 in three games with the Brewers, so it's tough to know where to start. Atlanta has to take steps forward in three facets:
1. The mind has to be in line before the rest.
Atlanta just needs to restabilize itself. There's no need to panic here just because they're out of playoff position by half a game. The Braves have to focus on the task at hand. They should be able to take care of business, since they're facing the NL's worst team, but they also just split a series with the league's next-worst team – the Marlins.
2. On the mound, strikeouts should be high for Braves starters and they have to limit traffic on the bases after allowing 52 hits to Milwaukee.
The Rockies strike out more than any other MLB team besides the Seattle Mariners, although they now own a better OBP than the Braves (.304 to .303), and the Braves have three pitchers lined up who are naturals at getting the K. Holmes' first seven outs of his first major-league start were punchouts, Fried has 101 Ks this season and (if he indeed starts) Schwellenbach has 29 Ks in his past three starts with 10 in 7.0 IP last time out.
3. Offensively, Atlanta got some things cooking to end the Brewers series. They put together 13 runs on 20 hits the last two games, led by Austin Riley getting on a roll with a 4-for-9 showing with a homer and three RBIs in each game.
Heavy hitting should continue in a notoriously hitter-friendly Coors Field, especially since Colorado is dead last in team ERA. The Braves have to take advantage and get the bats hot in this series. They can right the ship right away and get back in a playoff spot with the Mets on a tough trip to Seattle.
Broadcast information
First pitch for the series opener on Friday is at 8:40 p.m. EST, game two on Saturday is at 8:10 p.m. and the series wraps up on Sunday with a 3:10 p.m. first pitch for game three.
Each game is broadcasted on Bally Sports Southeast, while out of market viewers can watch with a subscription to MLB.tv. Braves fans can also listen to the game by tuning in to the Atlanta Braves Radio Network on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan and affiliates across Braves Country.
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