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The Tomahawk Times - Rockies take 4-3 win over Jurrjens, Braves
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DENVER -- Despite a strong starting effort by Jair Jurrjens, the Atlanta Braves dropped yet another one run decision on Tuesday. The Colorado Rockies were again lead by Matt Holliday, who drove in two runs in the 4-3 victory.
The Braves have had no luck in close contests this season, falling to 0-5 when the game is decided by one run. Chipper Jones gave Atlanta a short-lived 1-0 lead with an RBI-single to plate Kelly Johnson in the first.
Colorado immediately answered with one of their own in the bottom half, as Holliday drove home Todd Helton to make it 1-1. The two-run fourth inning saw a pair of Braves misplays prove costly.
The Rockies picked up a pair of runs in that fourth frame. Jeff Francoeur turned Garrett Atkins run-scoring single into a double when he allowed the get away from him. Strangely, no error was charged on the play. With Atkins now in scoring position, Brad Hawpe followed with a double that Matt Diaz was unable to make a sliding catch on to make it 3-1 Colorado.
Continuing to swing a hot bat, Holliday struck again in the fifth inning. This time he collected his second RBI single of the game against Jurrjens and extending the Rockies lead to 4-1.
Jurrjens (1-1) was done in by the two-run fourth, but turned in a solid outing for Atlanta. The righty allowed all four Rockies runs on nine hits over seven innings, walking two and striking out three.
Mark Kotsay pulled the Braves within one with a towering two-run homer off Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez in the sixth inning. That would be the last scoring play for Atlanta on the evening, as the trio of Taylor Buchholz, Brian Fuentes and Manny Corpas combined to hold the Braves hitless over the final three frames.
Jimenez (1-1) was wildly effective in keeping the Braves offense in check for six innings. He scattered six hits and walked four in allowing three earned runs on the night. Corpas worked the ninth for his second save in as many days against Atlanta.
Atlanta's first baseman Mark Teixeira is still yet to get on track this season, going 0-for-3 on Tuesday and dropping to just .156 in the early going. The switch-hitting Teixeira has had the most trouble against left-hander pitchers and his just 1-for-14 batting righty this season.
On Deck: With a gloomy forecast looming over the next two days, Atlanta will send Chuck James to the mound for his first start of the season. The Rockies will counter with former Brave Mark Redman. Game time is set for 8:35 PM EST.
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