Grant Holmes fans a historic 15, but the Braves fall 10-1 to the Rockies on June 15, 2025. See how one swing by Ryan McMahon spoiled a pitching masterpiece.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a day of dizzying highs and crushing lows at Truist Park. Braves starter Grant Holmes put on one of the most dominant pitching displays of the season, fanning a career-high 15 batters, only to watch it all unravel in a stunning 10-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies. A masterful performance was tragically spoiled by silent bats and a late-inning collapse, leaving fans wondering how a game that started so promisingly could end so poorly.
15 strikeouts. 2 hits. 2 earned runs. Grant Holmes delivered a masterpiece on the mound, only to be tagged with the loss.
For 6.1 innings, Grant Holmes was simply untouchable. He sliced through the Rockies' lineup with surgical precision, racking up a career-best 15 strikeouts and looking every bit the ace. The crowd was electric with every punchout. But baseball can be cruel. With the game tied 1-1 in the 7th, a single mistake to Ryan McMahon resulted in a go-ahead home run, abruptly ending Holmes' spectacular night and saddling him with a loss he did not deserve.
While Holmes was dealing, the Braves' offense was mostly a no-show. The team managed just six hits all afternoon and couldn't string together any meaningful rallies. The lone bright spot came in the 6th inning when Marcell Ozuna singled to score Austin Riley, but that was all they could muster. Against a pitcher as locked-in as Holmes was, the inability to provide any run support proved to be the team's fatal flaw.
After McMahon's homer cracked the door open, the Rockies blew it off its hinges. The 7th inning spiraled out of control into a six-run nightmare for the Braves' bullpen and defense, which also committed two costly errors on the day. Colorado piled on three more in the 8th, with Braxton Fulford doing most of the damage, driving in 5 runs, including a back-breaking bases-clearing triple. What was a tense pitcher's duel quickly became a rout.
While no roster moves were announced Sunday, a loss like this magnifies existing concerns. The quiet day on the transaction wire belies the ongoing conversations about the team's depth, particularly in the pitching staff. With injuries being a constant theme, the reliance on top prospects like Hurston Waldrep and Drake Baldwin to eventually fill gaps becomes even more critical. This game served as a stark reminder that even a heroic starting performance isn't enough if the support system isn't there.
One game is just one game, but this loss stings because of the sheer brilliance that was wasted. The Braves have to flush this one, get the bats hot, and give their pitchers the support they deserve. All eyes will be on the offense to see how they respond after leaving Holmes out to dry in what should have been a celebrated victory.
