Atlanta @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 11, 2015 ) Atlanta 2, Colorado 3

Carlos Gonzalez suffered through an injury-marred 2014 and found himself hitting .219 at the beginning of June, but the Colorado Rockies’ right fielder is showing the form that made him an All-Star in 2012 and 2013. Gonzalez slugged his ninth homer since June 1 on Saturday and comes into Sunday’s home game with the Atlanta Braves batting .305 with 22 RBIs in his past 36 games.

Gonzalez has three three-hit games in the past week, and the Rockies have won the first three games of the series and five in a row overall against Atlanta. The series has been a disaster for the Braves, who have lost four in a row overall. Atlanta has failed to take advantage of the offensive-friendly confines of Coors Field, going 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position. The Braves lost closer Jason Grilli for the season when he ruptured his left Achilles in the ninth inning Saturday, then lost the game when Gonzalez’s pop up dropped between Cameron Maybin and Andrelton Simmons. The Braves are 10-12 since first baseman Freddie Freeman sprained his right wrist.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FSN South (Atlanta), ROOT (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Alex Wood (6-5, 3.34 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Chad Bettis (4-4, 4.95)

Wood makes his second appearance of the series after throwing just two pitches Thursday before a two-hour, six-minute rain delay ended his night. He won his previous two starts, shutting out Pittsburgh on five hits in 7 1/3 innings June 28 before giving up four runs on 10 hits in six frames July 4 against the Phillies. Wood has done his best work away from home, going 5-2 with a 2.43 ERA.

Bettis won his final two starts of June but is 0-2 in July, getting shelled for 10 runs on eight hits – including four homers – in just 2 1/3 innings Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels. He has benefited from ample run support in his victories as Colorado scored 28 times in those four games. A second-round selection by the Rockies in the 2010 draft, Bettis lost to the Braves in his major-league debut on Aug. 1, 2013.

WALK-OFFS

1. Colorado SS Troy Tulowitzki’s hitting streak ended at 21 games Saturday, but his ninth-inning walk extended his on-base streak to 37 games and he was named as an injury replacement for the National League All-Star team after the contest.

2. The Braves have homered 12 times in 11 July games after hitting only 28 in May and June combined (55 games).

3. Rockies’ CF Charlie Blackmon is hitting .338 since June 3 after collecting three hits Saturday.

PREDICTION: Rockies 7, Braves 2