Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel closes out the Braves’ 4-1 win over the Colorado Rockies of a baseball game in Atlanta Monday, July 4, 2011. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)ATLANTA – Chipper Jones’ sore knee forced Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez to juggle his lineup and make rookie Freddie Freeman the cleanup hitter against the Rockies.
Freeman certainly looked comfortable in the role.
Freeman homered twice to drive in three runs, Tommy Hanson combined with two relievers on a four-hitter and Atlanta beat Colorado 4-1 on Monday night.
Freeman’s two-run shot in the first inning drove in Brian McCann, who singled with two outs off Ubaldo Jimenez (3-8). Freeman hit his 11th homer in the eighth off Matt Reynolds for his first career two-homer game.
“He’s been great,” Gonzalez said. “For a 21-year-old young man, he’s been able to compete in the major leagues, get better and help us win ballgames.”