DENVER -- After two disastrous games and a disappointing series against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Colorado Rockies will conclude their homestand with four games against the Atlanta Braves starting on Thursday.The Rockies fell 11-3 Wednesday afternoon, hours after a rain-delayed 10-1 loss Tuesday night and were outscored 25-11 by the Rays in the series. The Rockies struck out 15 times Wednesday, following 12 strikeouts Tuesday night. It is the first time in franchise history that the Rockies struck out 12 or more times in consecutive games at home.Chad Bettis will start Thursday night for the Rockies. He is 7-6 with a 5.55 ERA in 19 starts, 11 of which the Rockies won, and will face the Braves for the second straight start. On Saturday at Atlanta, Bettis gave up six hits and three runs in 6 2/3 innings with three walks and three strikeouts but wasnt involved in the decision as the Rockies won 4-3.The Rockies are 6-1 in Bettis past seven starts, and he is 3-1 with a 5.49 ERA (39 1/3 innings, 24 earned runs) in that span.Im in a good spot right now mentally and physically, Bettis said. And I think that Im learning things and trying to still understand how to get a little bit better each time, which is where I want to be. But I think in the big sense of things, personally, I feel I need to be much better toward the later part of my starts. In the Atlanta game, I feel like I got hurt there in my last, say, 10-15 pitches.Its not that Im not focused or anything, but (I) just need to understand whats going on and be aware of it and fix it before it happens.At Atlanta on Saturday, Bettis allowed two runs in the second but then retired 12 of the next 14 batters he faced through the sixth. He issued a leadoff walk followed by a bunt single in the seventh but got Erick Aybar to ground into a double play. But Bettis then gave up a run-scoring single to pitcher Mike Foltynewicz and walked Jace Peterson before being lifted from the game.The Rockies and Braves played a three-game series last weekend in Atlanta to start the second half of the season. The Rockies won the first two games but were unable to sweep the series when the Braves scored a run in the ninth Sunday to win 1-0.Foltynewicz will again oppose Bettis and is coming off a terrific outing during which he threw 73 of 107 pitches for strikes. He allowed four hits and three runs with two walks and five strikeouts before being taken out after facing three batters in the eighth. Foltynewicz is 3-3 with a 3.70 ERA in 10 starts this season, four of which the Braves have won.The Braves on Wednesday lost the rubber game of their series at Cincinnati 6-3 and are 2-4 since the All-Star break. Their road record is 19-26, not good but far better than their 14-36 mark at home. Moreover, the Braves are 9-7 in their past 16 road games.Colorado is the second stop for the Braves on a nine-game road trip that will conclude with two games at Minnesota.Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, who had a cancerous mole removed from his back during the All-Star break, went 0-for-11 with six strikeouts in the series against the Rockies last weekend.Freeman finally ended his long-ball drought at Great American Ballpark when he homered in the first inning against Anthony DeSclafini. It was the 17th homer of the season for Freeman, who went 1-for-4 with three strikeouts.This place is a graveyard, you know what I mean, Freeman joked about one of the better home run parks in the big leagues. In my career, Ive never been swinging well when I come into this park. 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That particular season the late great Harry Caray was calling the White Sox games. Jeff McNeil Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla.Milos Raonic believes a final against Novak Djokovic at the ATP World Tour Finals will be the “biggest test” of Andy Murray’s recent rise to the top of the world rankings. Murray defeated Raonic in a 3hr 38min marathon in Saturdays first semi-final and will face Djokovic, who saw off Kei Nishikori 6-1 6-1, in Sundays decider.Murray has now won 23 matches in a row and replaced Djokovic as world No 1 earlier this month, but he has not faced the Serb on his current run and Raonic believes it will be his sternest examination yet. Live Tennis: ATP World Tour Finals November 20, 2016, 5:45pm Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass Speaking after his defeat to Murray, the Canadian said: That will be the biggest test, I think. Andy has been the best player in the world, definitely, for the last six months.Thats the only thing thats sort of missing from there, that showdown with Novak. If thats the scenario tomorrow, it couldnt be a more ideal one, lets say, for a person that loves tennis. Murray reflects on beating Milos Raonic Raonic led the semi-final by a set and a break and also had a match point in the third-set tie break, but Murray fought back and eventually prevailed 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (11-9).ddddddddddddIt was Raonics second defeat in the tournament, having also lost to Djokovic in the group stages, and he admitted the world No 1 and No 2s ability to rise to the big occasion had been key. Greg Rusedski and Peter Fleming discuss how Murray has to recover from his marathon semi-final He added: I think they dealt better with the opportunities. They maximised better on those opportunities.They have been here many more times than I have; they have been in those situations many more times than I have.Watch every match of the ATP World Tour Finals live on Sky Sports, or follow live on skysports.com/tennis and the Sky Sports app. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. Also See: Murray reaches O2 final Murrays climb to greatness World No 1 permutations Murray Milestones ' ' '
