ATLANTA (AP) — Jon Gray loved being in a pitchers' duel with Julio Teheran for seven innings.
The rookie right-hander was disappointed the Colorado Rockies didn't win, but he enjoyed battling the Atlanta Braves' ace.
"The first couple of innings I was kind of trying to find my groove, but then I got going," Gray said. "It was fun. I was glad to keep us in the game."
Gonzalez Germen gave up Chase d'Arnaud's single with two outs in the ninth, and the Rockies missed a chance to sweep the Atlanta Braves with a 1-0 loss on Sunday.
Gray, who allowed five hits and three walks in a career-high 115 pitches, stranded two runners in the seventh with his fifth strikeout. That ended his day and gave him a 3.11 ERA and 64 strikeouts in his last 10 games.
Not bad considering the sweltering conditions and a 102-degree heat index.
"It took a little while for him to get a feel for his slider, but he adjusted," catcher Tony Wolters said. "Sometimes it takes a while to warm up even on this kind of day."
The Braves are just 14-36 at Turner Field and have baseball's worst overall record, but they snapped a four-game skid to Colorado.
Atlanta used four relievers and the Rockies one before Germen (2-1) gave up Ender Inciarte's leadoff single in the ninth.
Anthony Recker bunted over Inciarte, who advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on d'Arnaud's liner to left field.
Teheran scattered three hits, walked one and struck out five. Pitching for the majors' weakest offense, the two-time All-Star remained winless with a 2.90 ERA in 11 home starts.
"Whenever I go out there, I just try to do my job and give the team a chance to win, just concentrate on that," Teheran said. "If I get the win I'm happy with that, and if I don't get the win and the team still wins, I'm happy with that."
Teheran didn't allow a baserunner until Wolters singled in the fourth. That was all Colorado could muster until Charlie Blackmon singled with two outs in the sixth.
Daniel Delscaso was the third Rockie to get into scoring position with a double in the seventh. Cristhian Adames, the next batter, drew a four-pitch walk before Brandon Barnes grounded out.
"That's why Teheran is an All-Star," Barnes said. "He's got good stuff and he competes out there. Give it to Jon for keeping us in the game."
Jim Johnson (2-5) gave up one walk in two-thirds of an inning to get the win.
D'Arnaud went 3 for 5 with three singles. Blackmon, D.J. LeMahieu, Nolan Arenado and Carlos Gonzalez — the top four hitters in Colorado's lineup — went a combined 2 for 15 and stranded five runners.
TOUGH WEEKEND
Braves 1B Freddie Freeman, who had a cancerous mole removed from his upper back earlier in the week, struck out four times, stranded three runners and went 0 for 11 in the series.
IN THE DIRT AGAIN
Teheran's wild pitch in the sixth was the Braves' ninth in the series. Atlanta leads the majors with 52 wild pitches.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Braves RHP Shae Simmons, sidelined by Tommy John surgery the last 1½ years, will throw a simulated game on Monday.
UP NEXT
Rockies: LHP Tyler Anderson (1-3) won on July 9 for the first time in six starts. He will face Tampa Bay for the first time.
Braves: RHP Matt Wisler (4-8) is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in one career start against Cincinnati.
