Colorado Rockies game no. 131 thread: Bryce Elder vs Austin Gomber

Well, the good news is that the road trip is over. The Colorado Rockies dropped five-of-six games over two series against the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles. The bullpen was a nightly calamity, coughing-up leads seemingly every game...even in the contest they actually won on Sunday.

However, the bad news is that Colorado’s next series is against the best team in baseball; the Atlanta Braves. Atlanta sits 84-45 on the season, 12.5 games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies in the division standings — a virtual lock to clinch the division in the coming weeks and likely the best record in the National League. The last time these teams met, the Rockies were outscored 40-12 in a four-game set in Atlanta and surrendered an astounding 12 home runs.

Unsurprisingly, the Braves are coming into Coors Field hot — winning four of their last five games. They will send second-year righty Bryce Elder to the mound to kick-off the series. Elder holds a 10-4 record and 3.39 ERA in 143 ¹⁄₃ IP in 2023. He’s coming off back-to-back strong performances against both New York teams, blanking the Yankees over seven innings on August 15 before holding the Mets to just one run on two hits over 5 ¹⁄₃ innings in his last start.

Austin Gomber will oppose Elder and be tasked with trying to keep Atlanta’s daunting lineup at bay. He has continued to impress during the second-half of the season, allowing three runs or fewer in four of his last five appearances while completing at least five innings in each. It will be his first game against Atlanta this season, and sixth time facing the Braves in his career. Lifetime, Gomber holds a 7.94 ERA in 11 ¹⁄₃ innings against Atlanta.

First Pitch: 6:40 p.m. MDT

TV: AT&T Sports Net Rocky Mountain; MLB.tv

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

Lineups: