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

The Braves (75-63) defended 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 games.

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

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

Joe Jimenez had three strikeouts in a scoreless eighth inning and Raisel Iglesias made his 29th save in a scoreless ninth inning.

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 hit a single and scored on Gio Urshela’s double to left field. Michael Harris II hit a tricky grounder to first baseman Michael Toglia, who tried to throw the ball to Freeland, who was covering the base. But the ball slipped away from him and Urshela scored on the throwing error.

Sale allowed a leadoff triple by Ezequiel Tovar to start the sixth inning, but struck out the next two batters and put Toglia out of action with a long fly to center field that Harris caught at the fence just in front of the 400-foot sign.

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

–Field level media