Braves Tap The Rockies

Andres Galarraga isn't just back, he's flashing his power of old.

And Kerry Ligtenberg is back, too, getting his first save in more than a year.

After homering on opening day in his return from a one-year layoff, Galarraga hit a go-ahead, three-run homer Wednesday night that rallied the Atlanta Braves past the Colorado Rockies 9-6.

"I'm just enjoying the moment. I'm not surprised about the way I'm hitting right now. I was surprised at how I hit the ball hard in spring training. Right now, I feel confident."

Galarraga, who missed last season for cancer treatment, played for the Colorado from 1993-97 before signing with Atlanta as a free agent.

"He went from a Rockies saver to a Rockies killer in a couple of years," said Colorado's Todd Helton, who replaced Galarraga at first base.

Ligtenberg, who missed all of last season because of elbow surgery, pitched in a game that counted for the first time since a playoff appearance against San Diego on Oct. 12, 1998. He pitched a perfect ninth for his first save since Sept. 22, 1998 against Florida, the last of his 30 saves as a rookie.

"I've still got a long way to go, but this is a good first step," he said. "I was a little nervous because this was a real game, not spring training. With a three-run lead, I just threw fastballs."

The Braves are counting on Ligtenberg to be their closer, at least until John Rocker's suspension ends April 18.

Galarraga was 2-for-3 with a walk and is 3-for-9 with five RBIs thus far. He also was hit by a pitch for the third straight game.

"I'm trying to be nice," Galarraga said. "But if they continue to pitch me inside, I'm going to have to say something."

Atlanta trailed 6-2 in the fifth before Quilvio Veras' RBI grounder and a run-scoring throwing error shortstop Neifi Perez on Reggie Sanders' grounder. Perez also booted Andruw Jones' two-out grounder in the eighth for an error that allowed two more runs.

With the Braves down 6-4, Galarraga followed sixth-inning singles by Quilvio Veras and Reggie Sanders with a drive off Manny Aybar (0-1) that landed in the left-field seats.

The crowd of 30,008 didn't stop cheering until the Big Cat came out of the dugout for a curtain call.

Bruce Chen (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.

Braves starter Kevin Millwood, 18-7 last season as Atlanta won its eighth straight division title, allowed six runs five earned

and eight hits in four innings.

Helton hit a two-run homer in the first, and the Rockies made it 4-2 in the second when Jones, presented his second consecutive Gold Glove trophy prior to the game, misjudged Tom Goodwin's drive to center into a two-run inside-the-park home run.

Jones raced back to the warning track and attempted a Willie Mays-like basket catch with his back to the plate. But the ball hit off Jones' glove, and the speedy Goodwin scored easily as Jones fell into the wall and couldn't retrieve the ball.

When asked if he should have caught the ball, Jones nodded yes. "I thought I had it. I had a glove on it."

Javy Lopez, who went 3-for-4, had an RBI single in the first, and Brian Bohanon walked Trenidad Hubbard with the bases loaded.

Colorado took a 6-2 lead in the fourth on Mike Lansing's run-scoring, double-play grounder and an error by shortstop Walt Weiss.

Colorado right fielder Darren Bragg saved two runs in the fifth when he made a diving over-the-shoulder grab in right center of a drive by Weiss with runners at second and third and two outs.

Bohanon gave up four runs three earned five hits and four walks in four innings.

"Anytime you get six runs, you expect to win," he said. "I pretty much stunk it up."

Notes