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Six-run third propels Rockies over Braves

Apr 10, 2008 - 4:47 AM By Brady Delander PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DENVER (Ticker) -- Black clouds rolled in for a spring storm that could dump a half-foot of snow on the Mile High City. The Colorado Rockies made it rain first.

Ryan Spilborghs homered and had five RBI and Yorvit Torrealba added a three-run home run, helping the Rockies jump out early on their way to a 12-6 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Coors Field on Wednesday.

For Colorado, which had scored just 14 runs through eight games after finishing second in the National League with 860 last season, it represented the team's highest run output since beating the Florida Marlins, 13-0, on September 16, 2007.

"With guys up and down the lineup like (Matt) Holliday and (Todd) Helton and a bunch of good hitters, it's only a matter of time until you start raking," Spilborghs said.

Torrealba, who was batting .130 (3-for-23) as he walked up to the plate in the third, had the biggest swing in an inning full of them, crushing a 1-0 pitch off Braves starter Chuck James (0-1) for a three-run home run.

"I was ready for a nice game - a couple hits," said Torrealba, who was hitless in his prior 11 at-bats before the home run. "To get four RBI, it's definitely a big day for me. Hopefully, it will get me going."

But the damage started before Torrealba's blast.

James opened the third by beaning Willy Taveras and walking Troy Tulowitzki. After Todd Helton struck out looking, Holliday hit a two-run triple to the wall in left field. Spilborghs followed with a single to score Holliday.

"We have good hitters, and eventually good hitters hit," Holliday said. "Hopefully, we keep it going. We can put up a lot of runs and make it hard on a lot of teams."

Garrett Atkins stepped to the plate next and became the third batter to be hit in the game by James, who brushed another two Rockies batters in his three innings. Torrealba didn't give James a chance to hit him, though, as he uncorked his first home run of the season to left to place the Braves in a 6-1 hole.

Torrealba finished the game 3-for-4 with four RBI, allowing ex-Brave Mark Redman (1-1), to get the win. The lefthander worked five innings, allowing three runs - two earned - and seven hits with three strikeouts to get the win.

The Braves surged late when Mark Teixeira hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning to make it 9-5, but the Rockies piled on in the bottom half. Spilborghs hit a two-out, three-run homer to give the Rockies a comfortable 12-5 advantage after eight.

"We played maybe our best game of the year actually, hitting-wise and fielding-wise," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said. "We made all kinds of great plays and hit the ball good enough to win. ... We gave up way too many runs for a night that we actually played a (decent) game."

Spilborghs, who did not have an RBI entering the contest, ended the game 3-for-5 with five RBI and two runs scored.

"Confidence comes from success," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "We had some guys that were successful tonight, and that's going to help us as we move forward."

Brian McCann had three hits, including his second home run of the season, and three RBI for the Braves, who dropped their third straight game.