Colorado @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 12, 2015 ) Atlanta 3, Colorado 11

No team in baseball is happier to be home than the Atlanta Braves, who open a nine-game stand on Monday against the Colorado Rockies after going 0-7 on the road last week. The rebuilding Braves have been miserable away from Turner Field since early July, losing 22-of-24 contests in that span.

Four of those losses occurred at Colorado from July 9-12, but the Rockies have won just two of their 11 series since the sweep. The Rockies were swept in a three-game home series by the New York Mets over the weekend and have dropped 11 of their last 13 overall contests. The losing has not stopped Carlos Gonzalez from punishing opposing pitchers in the second half, as he slugged his 17th home run since the All-Star break - and 30th overall this season - on Sunday. The lone bright spot for Atlanta as it was swept by the Chicago Cubs in their four-game set was Nick Swisher, who collected three hits Sunday and finished the series 6-for-10 with two homers and six RBIs.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Jorge De La Rosa (7-5, 4.50 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (8-6, 4.32)

De La Rosa has won just one of his last eight starts, a stretch that began with a no-decision against the Braves on July 11 in which he allowed two runs and four hits over six innings. The 34-year-old Mexican tossed six scoreless innings against Washington on Wednesday but matched a season high with six walks en route to a no-decision. De La Rosa recorded a 6.08 ERA in five starts last month but has posted a 2.55 mark in August.

Teheran’s home numbers are outstanding – 6-1 with a 2.44 ERA and three homers allowed in 77 1/3 innings – and his road efforts have been better of late. The 24-year-old Colombian is 2-2 with a 3.70 ERA in seven second-half starts, striking out 44 in 41 1/3 frames after a first half in which he surrendered 16 homers and fanned 86 in 108 2/3 innings. Teheran held San Diego to one run and four hits over six frames in a no-decision on Wednesday.

WALK-OFFS

1. Colorado RHP Rafael Betancourt was designated for assignment on Sunday after going 2-4 with a 6.18 ERA in 45 relief appearances.

2. The Braves are 32-24 at home with an ERA almost a full run lower than on the road (3.74 vs. 4.72).

3. Atlanta plans to promote 3B Hector Olivera, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 13-player, three-team deal at the trade deadline, from Triple-A Gwinnett at some point this week.

PREDICTION: Braves 5, Rockies 2