DENVER — Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki turned a rare unassisted triple play, and the Rockies beat the Atlanta Braves 9-7 Sunday on Matt Holliday’s two-run homer in the 11th inning.
Kelly Johnson and Edgar Renteria singled for Atlanta in the seventh and were running on a 3-2 pitch when Tulowitzki caught Chipper Jones’ line drive behind second base. The rookie stepped on the bag to double up Johnson and then tagged Renteria for the third out.
Apparently unsure if he had completed the play properly, Tulowitzki went back and touched second again, then threw to first. Nothing to worry about — the inning was already over.
It was the 13th unassisted triple play in major league history and first since Rafael Furcal did it for the Braves on Sept. 10, 2003, against the Cardinals.
It also was the second triple play in the Rockies’ 13-year history. The first happened April 10, 2003, against St. Louis.
Philadelphia turned the only other triple play in the majors this season against Cincinnati on April 21.
Holliday was hitless in his first four at-bats including grounding into two double plays. He had an infield RBI single in the ninth.
Denny Bautista (1-0) worked a scoreless 11th for the win.
Scott Thorman homered and drove in a career-best four runs with a career-best four hits for the Braves.
Thorman was 4-for-4 with his second homer of the year and an intentional walk. He had a two-run single in the three-run sixth inning when the Braves tied the game at 5.
Kyle Davies gave up four runs on five hits over four innings and is winless in six starts over two seasons. His last win came Sept. 18, 2006.
Trailing 5-2, Atlanta tied it at 5 in the sixth inning when Thorman followed hits by Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones with a two-run single to right. Ryan Langerhans drove in a run with a deep fly to center.
Jeff Francoeur doubled to right, but Jamey Carroll’s relay throw got Andruw Jones at the plate. After Manny Corpas intentionally walked Thorman, third baseman Garrett Atkins misplayed Brayan Pena’s grounder, allowing Francoeur to score from third and give the Braves a 6-5 lead.
The Braves added a run in the ninth on a one-out RBI single by Renteria.
But closer Bob Wickman couldn’t hold the 7-5 lead as he walked Willy Taveras and Tulowitzki to start the Colorado ninth. One out later, Helton walked to load the bases. Holliday drove in a run with an infield single and Tulowitzki scored on Brad Hawpe’s ground out.
Colorado starter Aaron Cook went six innings, giving up five runs and nine hits. He hasn’t won since beating San Diego on Aug. 27, 2006.
Thorman hit an opposite field home run to left with two outs to give Atlanta a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
Taveras slapped a single to right with the bases loaded to score two runs and Tulowitzki tripled past third base to drive in two more in the Colorado second inning to make it 4-1.
Andruw Jones doubled into the corner in left with one out in the fourth inning. One out later, Thorman drove him in with a single to right. Hawpe homered to right, his first of the year, off Oscar Villarreal in the fifth inning to make it 5-2.
Notes: Ryan Langerhans snapped an 0-for-29 skid with a third-inning double. ... RHP Tim Hudson and Josh Hancock were college teammates at Auburn. ... RHP Rodrigo Lopez threw off a mound for the first time since going on the DL April 19. ... Holliday has a 12-game hitting streak. ... Atlanta called up OF Willie Harris from Triple-A Richmond.
Kelly Johnson and Edgar Renteria singled for Atlanta in the seventh and were running on a 3-2 pitch when Tulowitzki caught Chipper Jones’ line drive behind second base. The rookie stepped on the bag to double up Johnson and then tagged Renteria for the third out.
Apparently unsure if he had completed the play properly, Tulowitzki went back and touched second again, then threw to first. Nothing to worry about — the inning was already over.
It was the 13th unassisted triple play in major league history and first since Rafael Furcal did it for the Braves on Sept. 10, 2003, against the Cardinals.
It also was the second triple play in the Rockies’ 13-year history. The first happened April 10, 2003, against St. Louis.
Philadelphia turned the only other triple play in the majors this season against Cincinnati on April 21.
Holliday was hitless in his first four at-bats including grounding into two double plays. He had an infield RBI single in the ninth.
Denny Bautista (1-0) worked a scoreless 11th for the win.
Scott Thorman homered and drove in a career-best four runs with a career-best four hits for the Braves.
Thorman was 4-for-4 with his second homer of the year and an intentional walk. He had a two-run single in the three-run sixth inning when the Braves tied the game at 5.
Kyle Davies gave up four runs on five hits over four innings and is winless in six starts over two seasons. His last win came Sept. 18, 2006.
Trailing 5-2, Atlanta tied it at 5 in the sixth inning when Thorman followed hits by Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones with a two-run single to right. Ryan Langerhans drove in a run with a deep fly to center.
Jeff Francoeur doubled to right, but Jamey Carroll’s relay throw got Andruw Jones at the plate. After Manny Corpas intentionally walked Thorman, third baseman Garrett Atkins misplayed Brayan Pena’s grounder, allowing Francoeur to score from third and give the Braves a 6-5 lead.
The Braves added a run in the ninth on a one-out RBI single by Renteria.
But closer Bob Wickman couldn’t hold the 7-5 lead as he walked Willy Taveras and Tulowitzki to start the Colorado ninth. One out later, Helton walked to load the bases. Holliday drove in a run with an infield single and Tulowitzki scored on Brad Hawpe’s ground out.
Colorado starter Aaron Cook went six innings, giving up five runs and nine hits. He hasn’t won since beating San Diego on Aug. 27, 2006.
Thorman hit an opposite field home run to left with two outs to give Atlanta a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
Taveras slapped a single to right with the bases loaded to score two runs and Tulowitzki tripled past third base to drive in two more in the Colorado second inning to make it 4-1.
Andruw Jones doubled into the corner in left with one out in the fourth inning. One out later, Thorman drove him in with a single to right. Hawpe homered to right, his first of the year, off Oscar Villarreal in the fifth inning to make it 5-2.
Notes: Ryan Langerhans snapped an 0-for-29 skid with a third-inning double. ... RHP Tim Hudson and Josh Hancock were college teammates at Auburn. ... RHP Rodrigo Lopez threw off a mound for the first time since going on the DL April 19. ... Holliday has a 12-game hitting streak. ... Atlanta called up OF Willie Harris from Triple-A Richmond.
