Lowe pitches 6 strong innings as Braves top Rockies 4-1

Lowe’s leads Braves over Rockies, 4-1

DENVER — Derek Lowe pitched six strong innings, Garrett Anderson and Diory Hernandez hit two-run doubles and the Atlanta Braves beat the Colorado Rockies 4-1 on Friday night.

Anderson and Martin Prado both had two hits for the Braves, who before the game traded right fielder Jeff Francoeur and cash to the New York Mets for outfielder Ryan Church.

Todd Helton homered for the Rockies, who had their four-game winning streak snapped.

Lowe (8-7) gave up one run and four hits, struck out five and walked one. He left after a 52-minute rain delay that began at the end of the sixth inning.

Rafael Soriano three outs for his 11th save in 12 attempts.

Ubaldo Jimenez (6-9) gave up two runs and six hits, struck out eight and walked one in six innings.

Rockies left-hander Alan Embree was taken off the field on a cart after being hit by a line drive hit by Prado in the seventh. The Rockies said Embree had a bruised lower leg and was being taken to a hospital for further evaluation.

The Braves took a 2-0 lead in the first when Prado and Chipper Jones had consecutive one-out singles, and one out later, Anderson knocked in both with a double to right-center.

Helton cut the lead in half when he drove a fastball 418 feet to right field with two outs in the sixth. One out later, the game was delayed by rain, ending Lowe’s night.

The Braves extended their lead in the eighth on Hernandez’s two-out double that drove in Brian McCann and Matt Diaz.

The Rockies threatened in the bottom of the inning, but reliever Eric O’Flaherty struck out Helton and Hawpe with runners on second and third.

NOTES: Braves SS Yunel Escobar was out of the lineup Friday after straining his lower back in Thursday’s game against Colorado. Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said Escobar is day to day. … Jones (sore groin) returned to the lineup after not starting the last three games. He didn’t play Tuesday and Wednesday, but he came in as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning Thursday.