A Fun Coors Night

Some notes from Tuesday's slugfest in Coors Field...

It was the most runs scored since September 2nd when the Braves smacked the hapless Mets 13-5. It was the most runs during a road game since last July 6th, a 13-4 win over the Phillies. Last year, the Braves scored ten runs in Coors Field with both of the Uptons going back-to-back in a 10-2 win. The last time the Braves scored 13 at Coors Field came on May 5th, 2012. They were down 6-0 after Mike Minor got blasted (sound familiar?), but outscored the Rockies 13-3 after the second inning. Livan Hernandez recorded the final five outs for his only major league save.

The last time the Braves scored at least tens while surrendering ten runs was July 20th, 2012 against the Nationals. That was a game in which the Braves battled back from 9-0 after five to take the lead in the 9th, only to have Craig Kimbrel blow it by giving up a homer to Danny Espinosa. Paul Janish (of all people) singled home Dan Uggla (of all people) on a popfly that eluded the drawn-in infield and Chad Durbin (OF ALL PEOPLE) picked up the save with a shutdown eleventh to conserve the 11-10 win. This was also the last time the Braves scored at least ten runs and a reliever picked up a save. Kimbrel hadn't done it since May 30th, 2012 against the Cardinals, conserving a 10-7 win.

The last time the Braves scored at least 13 runs while surrendering at least ten runs was May 2nd, 2012. Played at Turner Field, the Braves fell behind 6-0 by the bottom of the fifth, battled back and took an 8-6 lead, fell behind 12-8, pulled ahead 13-12, and again Kimbrel blew it in the ninth. In the bottom of the 11th, Chipper Jones hit a two-run walkoff homer that absolutely deflated the Phillies.

The Braves not only scored 13 runs, a season high, but they banged out 16 hits. That was one more than the 15 they had in a 9-3 win against the Marlins on May 19th. The Braves are 10-0 when they have more than ten hits and 13-3 when they have at least ten. The Braves never had exactly 16 hits last season, but they had more than 16 four times, most recently when they finished a 12-5 thrashing of the Phillies with 17 hits last September 29th in the final game of the year. The game included Christian Bethancourt's only current major league at-bat, a strikeout. Elliot Johnson (SERIOUSLY, OF ALL PEOPLE) had 5 RBI and Gerald Laird went 4 for 4. The last road game with 16 or more hits was last July 6th when the Braves had 18 hits while humbling the Phillies.

The Braves have given up ten or more runs twice this season, the other time coming on May 14th against the Giants. Unlike that game, all ten runs this time were earned. The last time that happened was last July 20th, when the White Sox beat the Braves 10-6. That game was started by Paul Maholm, who got the call in all three of the starts the Braves gave up ten runs last season.

Three of five inherited runners scored last night, the most this season. The Braves allowed three inherited runners to score in a 3-1 loss last September 21st to the Cubs.

So...last night was a little weird, though not too strange. Fortunately, it ended in a victory. I had really no problem with Minor being left out as long as he was. In a true Coors Field game, your pitcher forgets about his ERA and just tries to give you innings. Minor didn't have it, but kept the Braves from using the entire bullpen. Hopefully, the offense takes a little of Coors Field with them after the series.