DENVER — The Colorado Rockies did not get their home season off to the start they wanted in 2018, dropping the home opener to the Atlanta Braves, 8-3. Germán Márquez had a rough start, allowing seven runs on seven hits in 4 2⁄3 innings, walking six (two intentional) and striking out two. Carlos González and Trevor Story provided two of the Rockies’ three runs in the fourth inning with solo home runs.
“I’m not trying to crush the ball, not trying to hit a home run, just trying to put a good swing on the ball,” González said.
Emotional index
Well, the temperature hovered in the mid-20s throughout the game after an hour long snow delay, Rockies pitchers walked seven Braves in total, and the home team was behind by several runs for most of the game. Safe to say this one was a bummer for Rockies fans.
The hero
If there was a hero in this one, it was Bud Black, Chris Rusin and Scott Oberg who managed to preserve the Rockies’ bullpen in a game in which it could easily have been blown up. Mike Dunn faced just one batter in the fifth and Rusin and Oberg pitched two innings each.
“It’s a long season,” Black said. “We’re going to have to obviously work our bullpen in the correct way.”
Also, give a shout out to Chris Iannetta, who had a pair of doubles.
Looking ahead
The loss drops the Rockies to 4-4 on the season, but came in just the first of a six-game homestand. The Rockies and Braves play again tomorrow, with Chad Bettis on the mound for the home team against Atlanta’s Anibal Sanchez. First pitch is at 6:10 p.m. MT.