Chris Sale stifles Rockies as Braves cruise in blowout

Chris Sale tossed seven stellar innings and Drake Baldwin homered and drove in four runs on Saturday night to help the visiting Atlanta Braves post a 9-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

Sale (6-1) allowed one run on three hits, striking out 11 and walking three for Atlanta, which remains the only MLB team to have not lost a series. Austin Riley also homered for the Braves, who built on their commanding National League East division lead. Their 24-10 record is the best in baseball.

Brennan Bernardino (2-1) served as the opener for the Rockies, allowing two runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. Chase Dollander then took over, throwing 5 1/3 innings of eight-hit, six-run ball, striking out three and walking three for Colorado, which dropped their fourth game in five tries.

After Ronald Acuna Jr. began the game with a single, Baldwin launched his eighth homer of the year on a drive to left to give the Braves a 2-0 lead.

In the second, Jorge Mateo doubled before Baldwin’s RBI single extended the lead to 3-0.

Kyle Karros singled to begin the third and scored on Jordan Beck’s two-out double, cutting the Rockies’ deficit to 3-1.

Eli White hit a run-scoring single and Baldwin’s double drove in a run in the fourth, before Ozzie Albies’ sacrifice fly made it 6-1 for Atlanta.

Michael Harris II singled and advanced to second on right fielder Troy Johnston’s error in the fifth, then scored on Riley’s two-run homer to left-center to push the lead to 8-1.

Tanner Gordon threw three innings in relief, allowing Matt Olson’s 11th home run of the season in the ninth to give the Braves a 9-1 lead.

Hunter Stratton threw a scoreless ninth to seal the win for the red-hot Braves.

–Field Level Media