McMahon hits go-ahead homer in 7th as Rockies beat Holmes and Braves 10-1

ATLANTA (AP) – Ryan McMahon hit a go-ahead home run in the seventh and the Colorado Rockies overcame Grant Holmes’ 15-strikeout performance to beat the Atlanta Braves 10-1 on Sunday and avoid a series sweep.

The Rockies have lost 22 of 23 series this season. They swept Miami on the road from June 2-4 for their only series win so far this season.

Colorado right-hander Austin Gomber allowed two hits and no runs in five innings in his season debut.

The Braves trailed 1-0 despite Holmes not allowing a hit or a walk through five innings.

Holmes mishandled a grounder by Ryan Ritter in the third and made an wild throw to first base for another error, allowing Ritter to advance to third base. Braxton Fulford’s sacrifice fly to left field drove in Ritter.

Fulford’s single up the middle with one out in the sixth was Colorado’s first hit. Fulford added a three-run triple off Aaron Bummer in the eighth.

Gomber came off the injured list. He had been out since March 27 with a sore left shoulder. Jake Bird (2-1) allowed one run in the sixth.

After McMahon’s homer off Holmes (3-6) gave Colorado a 2-1 lead, Jordan Beck added a two-run double in a six-run seventh. The Rockies’ six runs in the seventh were their most in a road inning since June 2, 2023, when they scored six in the eighth at Kansas City.

One day after Rockies hitters set a nine-inning team record by striking out 19 times in a 4-1 loss to Atlanta, Colorado struck out 16 times. Holmes struck out 15 in 6 1/3 innings while allowing three runs, two earned.

The 35 combined strikeouts by Braves pitchers in back-to-back games fell one shy of the major-league record of 36 by Boston on April 29-30, 1986, against Seattle.

Colorado opens a four-game series at Washington on Monday. Left-hander Carson Palmquist, recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque on Sunday, will start. The Braves are off Monday before beginning a three-game home series against the New York Mets on Tuesday night. Right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach is scheduled to start, followed by left-hander Chris Sale on Wednesday night.