Braves 13, Rockies 10: Nobody on the purple team got injured tonight, so that was good

There are many ways to lose a baseball game, and the Rockies seem intent on trying to find them all. In the last two weeks, they've lost on multiple walk off home runs, low scoring pitching duels (for Coors Field anyway), and depressing blowouts. They've lost a rain shortened affair, they've lost on the night where a top prospect made a forgettable debut, and now they've lost on a night where the offense exploded for ten runs.

/Removes all sharp objects from the room

Colorado plated more men than every other team in baseball tonight, every other team that is expect for the one they were playing as they fell to the Braves 13-10.

Juan Nicasio was an atrocity from the words "play ball" as he allowed a career high 10 runs in just 3.2 innings of work. The first inning was especially horrendous as he served up seven runs before any Rockie could get a bat in their hands. The torturous sequence was capped with a grand slam from the generally light hitting Andrelton Simmons; but then again, bad hitters hitting home runs off Rockies' pitching has been the theme this entire home stand so in hind sight we shouldn't be that surprised.

Nicasio was finally pulled in the fourth inning after giving two more home runs, one to Freddie Freeman (because he's required to hit at least one long ball every time he comes to Coors Field) and another to Evan Gattis.

The bullpen actually pitched very well in this game with the notable exception of Chad Bettis who gave up a critical three spot in the sixth inning. It may not have been possible however with Wilin Rosario throwing a ball into left field.

/Bangs head on dest

The combined line for Nicasio and Bettis tonight: 4.2 IP, 15 hits, 13 ER, 2 K's, 3 BB's

The combined line for Tommy Kahnle, Chris Martin, Matt Belisle, Nick Masset, and Rex Brothers: 4.1 IP, 1 hit, 0 ER, 3 K's, 0 BB's.

* * * * *

The offense made a valiant effort to dig out of the enormous hole. Every single starter got a hit expect for Troy Tulowitzki, and even he reached base twice with a hit by pitch and what could have been a big walk in the eighth inning with a base knock from Drew Stubbs, Justin Morneau or Josh Rutledge (who was on base four times tonight). Tulo also made a sensational barehanded defensive play in this game.

The bats could have gotten more than ten runs as Drew Stubbs hit a pair of popups with the bases loaded and there were a few line drive hit right at Atlanta outfielders, but it's hard to assign much blame to the offense when they put a double digit number on the board.

This game was all about the two guys who gave up the combined 13 runs.

As a side note, this is the fifth time this season the Rockies have lost a game where the offense put up seven or more runs on the board. On the flip side of things, the Rockies have only won one game where the pitching allowed seven or more runs.

* * * * *

With the loss, the Rockies fall to 5-22 in their last 27 games against the Braves since the start of 2011, and since Tyler Matzek will be making his major league debut tomorrow against Julio Teheran (6-3, 1.89), there's a good chance that record is going to get even worse.

We'll have to see how these next two games go, but this home stand is shaping up to become a nominee for the worst in franchise history. Not only have the Rockies only won one game so far and failed to win all three series, but they've put a small village of men on the disabled list.

The Rockies are still very much in Wild Card race thanks to their fast start and a low ceiling in the NL East (for now), but if this team doesn't pull the plane out of its nosedive in a hurry, they won't be playing meaningful baseball much longer.

Graph of misery:

Source: FanGraphs

Record: 29-35

Games behind: 12.5

Games left: 98

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