Eddie Rosario homers twice, knocks in 6 as Braves thump Rockies 14-6

Updated Jun. 18, 2023 5:41 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — Eddie Rosario homered twice and drove in six runs, and the Atlanta Braves beat the slumping Colorado Rockies 14-6 on Sunday for their sixth consecutive victory.

Michael Harris II went 5 for 5 and scored three times for Atlanta, which erased a 5-0 deficit. Harris and Ozzie Albies each hit a three-run drive, helping the Braves increasing their major league-leading total to 126 homers.

“We know if we get rolling, we can do some special things,” Harris said. “We are just trying to stay within ourselves.”

Matt Olson and Orlando Arcia each had two of the team's 18 hits. Charlie Morton (6-6) was charged with three earned runs and five hits in five innings in the win.

Ryan McMahon homered twice and drove in three runs for last-place Colorado, which has lost five straight and 11 of 14 overall. Chase Anderson (0-1) was tagged for seven runs and seven hits in three-plus innings.

“It felt like we played four games at Coors Field,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said after his team scored 40 runs in the four-game sweep.

Atlanta closed to 5-3 on Rosario's 12th homer, a three-run drive to right-center in the second. Rosario, who has homered in four straight games, added an RBI single in the third.

The Braves then grabbed the lead with three in the fourth. Harris doubled and Ronald Acuña Jr. walked before Albies connected for his 17th homer, making it 7-5 and chasing Anderson.

“We aren't striking out as much, we are walking more and the walks are scoring,” Snitker said. “The guys are all a year older and more mature. We're still a young team.”

Harris hit his sixth homer off Matt Carasiti in the fifth, and Rosario made it 12-5 with a two-run shot in the sixth against Brent Suter.

“We played really well this series, but we are not taking anything for granted,” Snitker said. “The guys get a day off tomorrow to rest up and we know we have two tough series this week (against the Phillies and Reds).”

TRAINING ROOM

Braves: Catcher Sean Murphy is day to day with a hamstring strain. ... LHP Kolby Allard (oblique) has been cleared for game action and will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Gwinnett.

MAKING MOVES

The Braves designated infielder Charlie Culberson for assignment hours before his father was set to throw out a ceremonial first pitch on Father’s Day.

The 34-year-old Culberson, a Rome, Georgia, native, was brought up from Triple-A Gwinnett on May 19 but had not appeared in any games since his promotion.

After Culberson was let go, Harris' father took care of the first pitch at Truist Park.

Catcher Chadwick Tromp was recalled from Gwinnett.

TID-BITS

Harris' five-hit game was the first of his career. ... The Braves’ 12 homers in the four-game series are the most the Rockies have surrendered in a four-game series in franchise history. ... The Braves have won all five series in June ... Albies is 8 for 17 with two home runs since moving into the No. 2 spot in the order.

UP NEXT

Rockies: LHP Austin Gomber (4-6, 7.29 ERA) will open a three-game series against Reds LHP Brandon Williamson (1-0, 5.40 ERA) at Cincinnati on Monday.

Braves: RHP Spencer Strider (7-2, 4.12 ERA) starts Tuesday in Philadelphia against LHP Ranger Suárez (1-2, 3.82 ERA) in the opener of a three-game series.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports