Jarred Kelenic’s 3-run homer leads Braves to 5-2 win over Rockies

By BILL TROCCHI Associated Press
ATLANTA (AP) — Jarred Kelenic hit a three-run home run and the Atlanta Braves continued their mastery of the Colorado Rockies with a 5-2 victory on Wednesday night.
The Braves maintained their half-game lead in the National League wild card race over the Mets, who beat the Red Sox 8-3.
“It is important for us to win every game right now, and in this business, those ones you are supposed to win are hard to win,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “It doesn’t work that way.”
Charlie Morton (8-7) pitched five innings to pick up the win, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out eight. Atlanta starters have now gone 23 straight games allowing three runs or fewer, the longest streak in the majors this season.
“I got swing-and-miss when I needed to for the most part, I just wish I could have been more efficient. … I would prefer to go much deeper in the game,” Morton said.
Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth inning and extended his scoreless streak to 23 1/3 innings while picking up his 30th save.
The Braves are now 16-3 against Colorado since the start of the 2022 season.
Michael Harris II was 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored and Jorge Soler had an RBI.
Rockies rookie Bradley Blalock (1-2), who grew up in an Atlanta suburb, gave up four runs in five innings while walking six and allowing four hits. It was his fifth career start.
Kelenic delivered the key blow in the first inning when the Braves jumped to a 4-0 lead. After back-to-back doubles by Marcell Ozuna and Matt Olson, Travis d’Arnaud walked. Kelenic then sent a splitter 395 feet into the right field seats in front of the Chop House restaurant.
“You look at the game, that was a big, big swing, because after the first, we couldn’t really do anything with that kid,” Snitker said.
The Rockies cut the lead to 4-2 in the second inning on an RBI triple by Sam Hilliard and an RBI double by Charlie Blackmon.
Four Atlanta relievers pitched four innings of hitless ball, capped off by Iglesias’ 30th save.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: INF Whit Merrifield was out of the lineup one day after getting hit with a fastball in the back of the head. A CT scan came back negative and he is day-to-day.
UP NEXT
Braves RHP Reynaldo López (8-4, 2.00) will close out the three-game series against Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (4-10, 4.69) on Thursday.