ATLANTA — Walt Weiss paid attention to the two rehab starts that Chad Bettis had made. The Rockies’ manager had a feeling something good would happen when the right-hander finally got a chance to return to the starting rotation.
Weiss was correct. Bettis made a successful return to the lineup — on the mound and at the plate.
The right-hander, who had been on the disabled list with elbow inflammation, worked five effective innings in his first start since July 18 and allowed only one run in the Rockies’ 5-1 win over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.
“He did a great job,” Weiss said. “He looked like he did before we put him on the DL.”
Bettis (6-4) scattered five hits, walked two and struck out four to help the Rockies end their four-game losing streak. Bettis also walked and picked up his first career base hit. He had been 0-for-34 during his three seasons.
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“I wasn’t going to let him go too long,” Weiss said. “He labored through the fifth, got through it, but the fact he hadn’t been out there for a while, that was about as long as I was going to let him go. He did a heck of a job.”
The offense was paced by second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who was 3-for-4 with a sacrifice fly, scored a run and drove in three, giving him 50 RBIs for the year.
Although he allowed a baserunner in each inning, Bettis did not pitch under much stress until the fifth, when Atlanta scratched out its only run. The Braves had to work for that one; veteran right fielder Nick Markakis drove in the run with a single on the 10th pitch of the at-bat.
The Rockies took advantage of two errors by third baseman Adonis Garcia to score four unearned runs off Atlanta starter Mike Foltynewicz (4-6).
“If we play a clean game behind him, he might have been pitching in the seventh inning,” Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
Garcia missed a would-be double-play ball struck by Nolan Arenado in the first inning to allow one run to score, and Ben Paulsen drove home another with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Garcia’s second fielding error, on a routine grounder to open the fourth inning, led to two more runs. LeMahieu’s two-run single up the middle increased the lead to 4-0.
“That was a huge hit,” Weiss said. “He’s been getting clutch hits for us all year.”
The Rockies survived a near-meltdown by reliever Tommy Kahnle in the seventh inning. The right-hander walked the first two batters he faced, induced pinch-hitter Pedro Ciriaco to hit into a double play, then walked the next two batters to load the bases. Lefty Christian Friedrich came in and struck out Freddie Freeman to end the threat.
“Friedrich got a huge out right there,” Weiss said. “We don’t ever want to see Freeman coming to the plate in a situation like that. Christian got a big out.”
The Rockies added an insurance run in the ninth inning. Rookie reliever Matt Marksberry walked pinch hitter Daniel Descalso and Jose Reyes to open the inning and threw a pair of wild pitches. LeMahieu’s fly ball to right field was deep enough to score a run.
