DENVER — Colorado Rockies right-hander David Hale faced his former teammates for the first time Thursday night and came away the winner in the Rockies’ 5-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
Even so, nothing went as planned.
Hale (3-4) was scheduled to start against the Braves on Friday. However, he was pressed into long-relief duty by a rain delay that began in the bottom of the first, lasted 2 hours, 6 minutes and cost both teams their starting pitcher.
Hale, whom the Rockies acquired from the Braves in an offseason trade, only worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings before a mild left groin strain forced him to leave.
His departure forced Rockies manager Walt Weiss to scramble. Colorado ended up using eight pitchers, none of whom worked more than 1 2/3 innings. The last was closer John Axford, who earned his 15th save in 16 opportunities.
All the Rockies pitchers had scoreless outings except for Christian Friedrich, who gave up three runs in the fifth, trimming the Rockies’ lead to 4-3. Colorado quickly tacked on a run in the bottom of that inning on catcher Nick Hundley’s double.
Rockies right fielder Carlos Gonzalez had three doubles in a game for the first time in his career, and third baseman Nolan Arenado had his second consecutive three-hit game.
First baseman Chris Johnson had three hits for the Braves.
The win was just the third in 12 games for the Rockies and their first in three games on the current six-game homestand. The loss was Atlanta’s third in nine games this month.
The Rockies had to wait 2 hours, 7 minutes for the rain to end before they could start their game at Coors Field on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Angels. Thursday’s rain delay Thursday was a minute shorter but more damaging because neither starter could return.
Alex Wood threw two pitches for the Braves before the game was halted. Jake Brigham (0-1), making his fourth appearance in the majors, gave up 10 hits and four runs in four innings in relief of Wood.
Colorado starter Kyle Kendrick pitched a scoreless first, then was replaced by Hale.
Doubles by Arenado, first baseman Wilin Rosario and Gonzalez, the latter two in succession with two outs, made it 2-0 in the first.
Left fielder Drew Stubbs hit his fourth homer with one out in the second, and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki made it 4-0 with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly after three successive singles.
The Braves cut the lead to 4-3 in the fifth. Second baseman Jace Peterson doubled home two runs. Center fielder Cameron Maybin followed with a sacrifice fly.
NOTES: Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki extended his hitting streak to 21 games with a single in the fourth. He also reached base in a 36th consecutive game. Both streaks are career highs. … Braves LF Kelly Johnson and 1B Chris Johnson were in the lineup because of their success against Rockies RHP Kyle Kendrick. Both players began the day 8-for-26 (.308) with one homer against Kendrick, and they finished the Thursday game with a combined five hits. … Atlanta C A.J. Pierzynski, who went 10-for-13 with three doubles and a triple in his previous three games, will be in the lineup Friday and Sunday but not Saturday, manager Fredi Gonzalez said. … Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado batted second for the first time since the opener of a May 23 doubleheader and for the fourth time this season. Rockies 2B DJ LeMahieu hit sixth for the first time since May 3 and for the fourth time this season.