Chris Sale pitched seven scoreless innings and became the first left-hander in Atlanta franchise history to reach 200 strikeouts as the Braves blanked the visiting Colorado Rockies 3-0 on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series.

The Braves (75-63) maintained their half-game lead over the New York Mets in the race for the final wild-card spot. The Rockies (51-88) have lost four of their last five.

Sale (16-3) allowed six hits and no walks, struck out nine and earned his first career victory against Colorado. He took over the major league lead in strikeouts with 206.

Sale fanned Drew Romo on a called third strike in the third inning for his 200th strikeout. It marked his eighth season with 200 strikeouts, but first since 2019. Sale had already eclipsed the old franchise record for strikeouts by a left-hander, previously held by Tom Glavine with 192 in 1991.

Joe Jimenez struck out three in a scoreless eighth and Raisel Iglesias worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 29th save.

Colorado starter Kyle Freeland (4-7) pitched five innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and five strikeouts.

The Braves scored two runs in the third inning. Whit Merrifield singled and scored on Gio Urshela’s double to left field. Michael Harris II hit a tricky in-between grounder to first baseman Michael Toglia, who tried to flip the ball to Freeland covering the base. But the ball got away and Urshela scored on the throwing error.

Sale allowed a leadoff triple to Ezequiel Tovar to open the sixth, but struck out the next two batters and retired Toglia on a long fly to center field that Harris ran down at the fence, right in front of the 400-foot sign.

Atlanta added an insurance run in the seventh inning. Merrifield was hit by a pitch on the top of the helmet by reliever Jeff Criswell to start the inning. Pinch runner Luke Williams advanced to third on Urshela’s single and scored on a sacrifice fly from Harris.

–Field Level Media