DENVER (AP) — Jonah Heim homered, doubled and drove in five runs, Jorge Mateo also hit a home run and the Atlanta Braves beat the Colorado Rockies 11-6 on Sunday.
Spencer Strider made his season debut for the Braves and allowed three runs and four hits in 3 1/3 innings in his return from an oblique injury suffered in spring training. He struck out six and walked five.
Aaron Bummer (1-1) came on in relief of Strider and gave up two runs in one inning while earning the win.
Atlanta placed star right fielder because of before the game.
But the Braves were able to get production throughout their lineup Sunday. Austin Riley hit a bases-loaded RBI single, Eli White walked to bring in a run and Matt Olson scored on a sacrifice fly by Heim to cap Atlanta’s three-run fifth that made it 6-4.
Kyle Freeland (1-3) gave up six runs and eight hits, walked three and had seven strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings for the Rockies.
Mickey Moniak homered twice for Colorado, a solo shot in the fourth and a two-run blast in the eighth. TJ Rumfield went 3 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs.
Edouard Julien walked to lead off the first, stole second and scored on Rumfield’s two-out single that made it 1-0.
Olson doubled to lead off the second and after Riley and White struck out swinging, Heim hit a 425-foot shot to center off Freeland. Mateo hit the next pitch 405 feet down the line in left to give the Braves a 3-1 lead.
Rumfield’s leadoff homer in the third made it a one-run game.
Jake McCarthy tripled to lead off the fourth, Julien struck out swinging and Bummer replaced Strider. Three pitches later, Moniak hit a two-run shot that gave the Rockies a 4-3 lead.
Up next
Rockies: RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (3-1, 2.84 ERA) will start Monday against the New York Mets, who hadn’t announced a starter.
Braves: RHP JR Ritchie (1-0, 2.92) is scheduled to pitch Monday against Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert (1-3, 4.03) in Seattle.
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