by Chuck Sommers
Friday, Sep 03, 2021
Game time: 8:10 p.m. ET
Venue: Coors Field, Denver, CO
Where to watch: Bally Sports Southeast, AT&T SportsNet-RM
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Braves -115, Rockies -105
BetMGM: Braves -110, Rockies -110
Caesars: Braves -111, Rockies -101
Season record (entering Friday)
Braves: 71-62 (1st place, NL East)
Rockies: 61-73 (4th place, NL West)
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Braves - Rockies preview and analysis
Recent form
Braves: 4-6 in last 10
Rockies: 4-6 in last 10
The Atlanta Braves are trying to get back on track after being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and a series against the Colorado Rockies will do the trick.
Game 3 of this four-game series is Saturday at Coors Field in what could be an entertaining pitching matchup. Ian Anderson will be on the mound for the Braves, looking to continue his stellar rookie season against Rockies ace German Marquez.
Atlanta took the first game 6-5 on Thursday thanks to the effort on both sides of the diamond from centerfielder Adam Duvall. Not only did he make the catch of the game off a blast from Coonor Joe at the wall, he crushed a 477-foot homer into the Colorado night for the go-ahead run that would eventually be the winning run.
That was a night the Braves needed after scoring eight combined runs against the Dodgers earlier this week. Since their nine-game winning streak, the Braves have lost five of eight and have seen their lead in the National League East fall to two games on the Philadelphia Phillies. The New York Mets have also gained ground and are five games back thanks to their four-game winning streak.
Coors Field has been a horror show for opposing teams based on Colorado’s 43-23 mark this season, despite the Rockies being a home underdog. If the Rockies were even remotely better at home, they might be in that mix with the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants in the National League West.
The Rockies got to Braves starter Touki Toussaint early, lasting only three innings while giving up five. Chi Chi Gonzalez didn’t last any longer, going 3.2 IP
The 23-year-old starting pitcher Anderson will be in for a tough task against the Rockies. That altitude for a young pitcher is no joke, and he’s going to need Atlanta’s bats to be productive yet again going against this capable Colorado lineup. Surprisingly, the Braves have done better on the road (38-30) than at home (33-32) entering Friday.
The right-hander is 6-5 on the season and is coming off 5.2 IP, 0 ER and no strikeouts in a victory over the Giants on Aug. 29.
Prediction
I fully believe in rallying around a young guy in a tough environment. Anderson is going to be an important rotation piece come playoff time, and these types of games can build confidence. We think the Braves can win and put enough runs on the board early to give Anderson a chance to get comfortable.
Betting trends
The Braves are 49-36 (-4.2 net games) as a favorite.
The under is 28-36 this season in Rockies home games.
Players to watch
Braves: Freddie Freeman continued his hot batting touch with a base hit for the fifth time in six games on Thursday. Since Aug. 14, he’s hit .338 with four homers.
Rockies: Colorado star C.J. Cron just wrapped up his NL Player of the Month campaign with high honors. The slugger batted .387 in 26 games while hitting 11 home runs and driving in 34 RBI, with an on-base percentage of .463.
Projected lineup
Braves:
Ozzie Albies (S) 2B
Jorge Soler (R) RF
Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
Austin Riley (R) 3B
Travis d'Arnaud (R) C
Dansby Swanson (R) SS
Adam Duvall (R) CF
Eddie Rosario (L) LF
Ian Anderson (R) P
Rockies:
Connor Joe (R) LF
Brendan Rodgers (R) 2B
Charlie Blackmon (L) RF
Trevor Story (R) SS
C.J. Cron (R) 1B
Ryan McMahon (L) 3B
Raimel Tapia (L) CF
Dom Nunez (L) C
German Marquez (R) P
Statistical leaders
Braves:
Batting average: Austin Riley (.305)
Hits: Austin Riley (146)
Home runs: Austin Riley & Freddie Freeman (28)
RBI: Ozzie Albies (86)
Stolen bases: Ozzie Albies (17)
Wins: Charlie Morton (12)
Saves: Will Smith (30)
ERA: Max Fried (3.51)
Rockies:
Batting average: Raimel Tapia (.282)
Hits: Raimel Tapia & Charlie Blackmon (115)
Home runs: C.J. Cron (25)
RBI: C.J. Cron (77)
Stolen bases: Raimel Tapia (19)
Wins: German Marquez (11)
Saves: Daniel Bard (20)
ERA: German Marquez (4.10)
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
