DENVER — Chipper Jones hit a two-run single in the fifth to break open a scoreless game, Jair Jurrjens pitched into the eighth inning without allowing a run and the Atlanta Braves beat the Colorado Rockies 7-1 on Monday night.
The contest was a makeup from a snow-out on April 10.
Jones, mired in a 2-for-15 slump entering the game, finished 2-for-4 with a walk, raising his average a point to .403.
Jeff Francoeur had two hits, including a two-run double in the seventh, and Brandon Jones added a two-out, two-run single in the ninth.
Jurrjens (7-3) won for the seventh time this season, tops among rookies in the major leagues. He struck out seven and allowed eight hits in a career-high 7 2-3 innings.
So much for his ankle bothering him. Jurrjens was scratched from his start last Wednesday after he twisted his left ankle tumbling down the clubhouse stairs in Chicago.
Jurrjens pitched out of jams all night, including the seventh when he gave up a triple to Brad Hawpe to open the inning.
However, after walking Chris Iannetta, Jurrjens struck out Omar Quintanilla, got a nifty over-the-shoulder catch by Jones on Scott Podsednik’s blooper to short left and then enticed Willy Taveras to ground out to end the threat.
Ubaldo Jimenez struggled with his command all evening, tying a career-high with five walks over five innings. He allowed three runs — two earned — and struck out seven.
Jimenez (1-7) hasn’t won since April 8 against Atlanta, a span of 13 starts.
Matt Holliday and Garrett Atkins each had two hits while Aaron Cook collected his first pinch-hit single when he batted for Jimenez in the fifth.
The Rockies averted the shutout in the ninth when Podsednik dumped a single to left to score Iannetta, who led off the frame with a walk. Colorado hasn’t been blanked at Coors Field since a 3-0 loss to Arizona on May 15, 2007.
The Braves broke open the game in the fifth when Chipper Jones laced a two-run single to right and Mark Teixeira followed with a groundout that produced another run.
Atlanta had something brewing in the first when an erratic Jimenez issued one-out walks to Johnson and Jones.
Teixeira thought he had a walk as well, but home plate umpire Adrian Johnson rang him up on a 3-2 pitch. Teixeira voiced his displeasure on his way back to the dugout.
Brian McCann then laced a single to center, but Taveras threw Kelly Johnson out at home on a perfect strike to Iannetta.Notes: Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki (torn left quad) and INF Clint Barmes (sprained right knee) will head to Triple-A Colorado Springs on a rehab assignment beginning Tuesday night. ... Rockies C Yorvit Torrealba sat out the second and final day of his suspension for his role in a fight with Los Angeles Dodgers OF Matt Kemp on June 3. ... The Rockies announced Jorge De La Rosa as the starter Thursday against Cleveland. ... Braves 2B Kelly Johnson drew three walks and scored twice.