Steady Smoltz whiffs eight as Braves scorch Rockies
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| Regular Season Series |
| Atlanta leads 4-2 (as of Sat 4/28) |
| Fri 4/27 |
ATL 9, @COL 7 |
Recap |
| >Sat 4/28 |
ATL 6, @COL 2 |
Box Score |
| Sun 4/29 |
@COL 9, ATL 7 |
Recap |
| Fri 8/3 |
COL 9, @ATL 2 |
Recap |
| Sat 8/4 |
@ATL 6, COL 4 |
Recap |
| Sun 8/5 |
@ATL 6, COL 5 |
Recap |
| · Complete Schedule: Rockies | Braves |
| Scoring Summary |
| ATL | COL |
 | 1st | T Tulowitzki homered to right center, W Taveras scored. | 0 | 2 |
 | 3rd | C Jones singled to center, R Langerhans and K Johnson scored, E Renteria to third. | 2 | 2 |
| 3rd | A Jones hit sacrifice fly to right, E Renteria scored. | 3 | 2 |
| 4th | J Francoeur homered to left. | 4 | 2 |
| 4th | K Johnson tripled to deep center, R Langerhans scored. | 5 | 2 |
| 9th | E Renteria homered to right. | 6 | 2 |
| · View complete Play-By-Play |
| Game Information |
| Stadium | Coors Field, Denver, CO |
| Attendance | 28,178 (55.9% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:29 |
| Weather | 78 degrees, clear |
| Wind | 8 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Doug Eddings, First Base - Dana Demuth, Second Base - Derryl Cousins, Third Base - Kerwin Danley |
| A CLOSER LOOK |
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• Summary: John Smoltz extended his mastery of Colorado by allowing two runs in seven innings and Chipper Jones brought home two runs in the Braves' win over the Rockies.
• Hero: Smoltz, 11-4 lifetime with nine saves versus Colorado, didn't surrender a run after the first inning. The right-hander struck out eight and walked one. | |  | |
| Smoltz |
• Turning point: With the Braves trailing by two in the third, Chipper Jones' two-run double sparked a three-run inning.
• Did you see that?: Andruw Jones made a diving catch to rob an incredulous Garrett Atkins of a home run in the third to preserve the lead.
• Quotable: "Nothing to it. It's all about positioning, finding the wall and locating the ball." -- Andruw Jones. -- ESPN.com news services
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Braves 6, Rockies 2
DENVER (AP) --
John Smoltz continued his mastery of Colorado and
Chipper Jones drove in two runs to help the
Atlanta Braves beat the Rockies 6-2 on Saturday night.
Smoltz (3-1) allowed two runs, nine hits, and struck out eight in seven innings to improve to 11-4 with nine saves and a 3.43 ERA in his career against the Rockies.
He also snapped an 0-for-11 skid at the plate to start the season with a double in the sixth inning.
The 39-year-old recently signed a contract extension for 2008 with options for 2009 and 2010 was aided by an efficient offense that used three hits including a two-run single by Jones, a solo home run by
Jeff Francoeur and a triple by
Kelly Johnson in the first four innings to build a 5-2 lead.
Jones has seven home runs and 16 RBIs in his last 16 games.
Andruw Jones made a leaping catch to rob
Garrett Atkins of a home run in the third inning and preserve the lead.
Colorado starter
Jason Hirsh (2-2) allowed five runs, five hits and four walks over six innings.
Matt Holliday was 2-for-4 with two doubles.
Troy Tulowitzki hit his second home run in as many games, a towering shot into the Braves' bullpen in center field after a leadoff walk to
Willy Taveras in the first inning.
The Braves took a 3-2 lead in the third inning.
Ryan Langerhans reached on Tulowitzki error at shortstop and Kelly Johnson and
Edgar Renteria walked to load the bases before Chipper Jones singled off
Jamey Carroll's glove at second base to drive in two runs. Andruw Jones added a sacrifice fly.
Jeff Francoeur homered to left, his fifth of the year, leading off the fourth. Langerhans drew a one-out walk and an out later scored when Johnson tripled to center to make it 5-2.
Smoltz settled down, pitching six scoreless innings after the first. He induced a two-out ground ball by
Brad Hawpe with runners on second and third in the third inning and got Holliday to ground out after two-out hits by Atkins and
Todd Helton in the fifth.
Renteria added his fourth homer of the season in the ninth to make it 6-2.
Game notes Manager Bobby Cox said LHP
Chuck James was fine a day after tweaking his back trying to run out a double play grounder Friday night. ... OF Francoeur started his 187th straight game in right field. ... Colorado 2B Kaz Matsui (lower back spasms) has begun a regime of swing a bat one handed, playing some light catch and jogging.
Braves 6, 
Rockies 2