Rockies offense sets NL record with 35 strikeouts in two games, but romps Braves for biggest win of season

For one inning, the Rockies looked unstoppable.

A six-run seventh inning propelled Colorado to a 10-1 victory on Sunday to avoid a sweep at Truist Park in Atlanta. The largest margin of victory this season improved Colorado to 14-57 — still on pace to be the worst team in the modern era — and made another dubious distinction for the Rockies offense a moot point.

After striking out 19 times on Saturday, the Rockies K’d 16 times Sunday, setting a new National League record for the most combined strikeouts in consecutive nine-inning games at 35.

“You’re talking about all these records, but we won 10-1, that’s all I’m worried about,” interim manager Warren Schaeffer told reporters.

“… We punched out (15) times off (Atlanta starter Grant) Holmes and we didn’t give in — we kept going. That’s a testament to the fellas in our room to not give up their at-bats late in the game when it matters. We strung things together, a lot of good walks in there, and (catcher Braxton) Fulford was fantastic in the nine hole.”

Austin Gomber, making his season debut coming off a shoulder injury that sidelined him since spring training, was brilliant. The southpaw held the Braves hitless through the first four innings, then worked around a couple of soft singles in the fifth before being lifted. He finished with four strikeouts and a walk on 76 pitches.

“(Gomber) was able to attack every hitter’s hole, go right at him with a good mix, and it gave him a lot of success,” Braxton Fulford said.

Colorado couldn’t solve Holmes early on, but the Rockies got an unearned run off him in the third after Holmes’ throwing error enabled Ryan Ritter to get to third. Fulford’s sacrifice fly then made it 1-0.

Neither team had a hit until the fifth, when Michael Harris II reached on an infield single off Gomber. The next inning, Colorado finally got its first knock — a Fulford single off Holmes.

“(Holmes’) fastball had life today, hop on it, cut on it, the slider was good,” Schaeffer said. “He was really good like (Spencer) Strider was (on Saturday).”

In the bottom of the sixth, Atlanta tied the game off Jake Bird, the club’s best reliever, who hasn’t been sharp in his last two outings. After giving up a three-run homer in Friday’s defeat, Bird got hit around on Sunday, yielding a run on four hits before escaping with the game tied 1-1.

Colorado finally broke through in the seventh, the team’s first time scoring six or more runs in a single frame on the road since June 2, 2023, at Kansas City. The Rockies chased Holmes, then battered the Braves’ bullpen to take command of the game for good.

Ryan McMahon led off the inning with a solo homer 429 feet to center field. After Brenton Doyle walked a couple of batters later, Enyel De Los Santos came on and gave up three hits and a walk. That included a bases-loaded free pass to Fulford, and a two-run double to Jordan Beck to make it 5-1.

“Mac answered with the homer and that got us the momentum back,” Schaeffer said.