Rockies' Jon Gray brilliant for seven innings, but the Atlanta Braves pull out a walk-off win

A walk-off single by the Atlanta Braves spoiled a dominant start by rookie Jon Gray, and the Colorado Rockies lost 1-0 on Sunday afternoon in Atlanta, wrapping up a three-game series there.

Jon Gray was brilliant, lasting 115 pitches and seven scoreless innings, giving up just five hits and three walks in the process while striking out eight Braves. He threw 76 of those 115 pitches for strikes. He was, however, matched frame for frame by Julio Teheran, who gave up just three hits and a walk in his own seven scoreless innings, striking out five Rockies on 101 pitches (62 strikes).

The Rockies arguably had their best chance to score in the top of the eighth inning with a runner on first and Trevor Story up to pinch hit with nobody out. However, Story bunted to sacrifice the runner to second, and after the Braves intentionally walked Charlie Blackmon, DJ LeMahieu hit into an inning-ending double play, ending the frame and bringing on Jason Motte for the Rockies in the bottom of the eighth.

Motte tossed a scoreless inning, and in the top of the ninth, the Rockies again had two runners on and one out when Mark Reynolds came up to pinch hit. And again, for the second inning in a row, the Rockies' rally was killed with a double play, preserving a scoreless tie entering the bottom of the ninth.

In that frame, with Gonzalez Germen pitching for Colorado, the Braves got a runner on third with just one out thanks to a single, a sacrifice bunt, and a wild pitch. Germen then got Gordon Beckham to pop out for the second out of the frame, before walking Jace Peterson to put runners on the corners.

It all ended, though, on the very next batter when Chase d'Arnaud singled home the winning run on a walk-off.

Germen took the loss, and the Braves managed to salvage one game from the Rockies in this three-game set. Tomorrow, the Rockies return home for a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays, before four more at Coors Field against these Braves.