Morton joins an inventory of legends with stellar gem at Coors Field

DENVER — Charlie Morton bid adieu to what had been MLB’s longest present scoreless streak. But he nonetheless prolonged his latest dominance whereas serving to the Braves declare a 3-1 win over the Rockies on Tuesday night time.

Morton surrendered only one run, scattered three hits and struck out eight over six innings. This marked simply the fifth time a pitcher aged 39 years or older has allowed one run or much less, three hits or much less over at the very least six innings at Coors Field. The others to take action are all Hall of Famers: Randy Johnson (2007), Tom Glavine (2008) and Greg Maddux (2007 and ‘08).

Maddux did this with the Dodgers and Padres. So, Glavine and Morton are the one pitchers who’ve executed this whereas sporting a Braves uniform. Morton and Johnson are the one pitchers to have executed this whereas additionally tallying at the very least eight strikeouts.

“They’re legends,” Morton mentioned. “I’m just the guy who has figured things out over the last six or seven years.”

Speaking of someone who has figured issues out, Marcell Ozuna exited April along with his profession in jeopardy and he’ll enter September within the midst of his second 30-homer season. His leadoff homer fueled a two-run second inning and his fifth-inning single gave the Braves an insurance coverage run.

Ronald Acuña Jr. loved a multihit efficiency, however remained a homer shy of turning into the primary participant to ever hit 30-plus homers and steal 60-plus bases in the identical season. But this was an odd offensive night time for the Braves, who had scored at the very least eight runs in every of their 5 earlier video games towards the Rockies this yr.

The Braves tallied 15 hits, together with 11 singles. This was the twenty first time they’ve scored three runs or fewer with 15-plus hits. The two most up-to-date events had been May 1, 2018 (Michael Soroka’s victorious debut vs. Mets) and June 10, 1996, when the Braves have been held scoreless earlier than tallying a three-run ninth in an 8-3 loss to the Mets.

As the offense skilled an odd night time, Morton strengthened the idea Atlanta’s rejuvenated rotation may additionally be a energy within the postseason. The Braves posted MLB’s second-worst beginning pitching ERA (6.15) from July 14-Aug. 10. Their starters have posted a 2.99 ERA over the 18 video games which have adopted.

“No facet of your game is insulated from having those blips or whatever that you’ve got to fight through,” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker mentioned. “Our guys did and right now they’ve kind of righted the ship and been really good.”

The rotation’s turnaround started with Morton pitching round seven walks over 5 scoreless innings towards the Mets. That outing marked the beginning of a 19-inning scoreless streak that was snapped when Rockies first baseman Hunter Goodman tripled and scored within the second inning. Goodman’s hit was a protracted fly ball that Michael Harris II appeared to have earlier than his knee crashed into the center-field wall.

Morton exited with a 0.38 ERA (one earned run in 24 innings) over his previous 4 begins. He produced a 7.32 ERA as he battled an inconsistent supply and launch level over the 4 begins that preceded this stretch.

“We all know what he can do, especially later in the year,” Ozuna mentioned. “You will see what he can do when we get into the playoffs.”

Morton additionally missed his alternative to affix John Smoltz (1996) and Spencer Strider (final month) as the one pitchers in Braves historical past to document a double-digit strikeout whole in three straight begins. But he nonetheless recorded eight strikeouts and produced 21 swings-and-misses, which is tied for his fifth-highest whole of the season.

Instead of shying away from the curveball within the skinny Rocky Mountain air, Braves pitching coach Rick Kranitz urges his pitchers to lean on the pitch to get a really feel for a way good it truly is. Morton bought the Rockies to overlook with 12 of 24 swings towards the curveball. The seven curveballs put in play had a mean exit velocity of 82.7 mph.

In different phrases, Morton weakened the arguments that curveballs do not work at Coors Field.

“A mediocre one might not,” Snitker mentioned. “But a good one does and Charlie has one of the better ones.”