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. I was able to get one over today.At the hitters paradise that is Coors Field, Freeman has made 66 plate appearances and his hitting .271 (14-for-59) with five homers, 14 RBI and a .627 OPS. Keith Hernandez Jersey . Westbrook has missed 27 games since having a procedure on Dec. 27 to deal with swelling in his injured right knee — the third operation on the knee in nine months. Custom St. Louis Cardinals Jerseys . Wall made the comment in a speech to a Regina business crowd that included Lesnar. The U.S. wrestler and retired mixed martial artist says he was visiting his brothers farm in Saskatchewan and decided he wanted to hear what the premier had to say. http://www.cardinalsrookiestore.com/Cardinals-Tim-Mccarver-Kids-Jersey/ . LOUIS -- Heading into the final stretch of the season, the issues for the Chicago Bears banged-up defence only seem to be getting worse. Vince Coleman Jersey . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. Adam Wainwright Jersey . Marincin has played in two NHL games so far this season with two penalty minutes. The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season. STARKVILLE, Miss. - Heart and grit are the staples of Bulldog volleyball. On Friday night in front of a raucous crowd of 1,409 at Newell-Grissom, the Mississippi State Bulldogs fought to the end but dropped a 3-0 decision to the No. 5 Kansas Jayhawks.Evie Grace Singleton paced the Bulldogs with 8 kills, while Jelena Vujcin and Chelsea Duhs each turned in 7 on the night. The setting duo of Blossom Sato and Riley Duzenack turned in 14 and 13 assists, respectively, while Bali Leffall-Young paced State with 4 blocks.I cannot say enough how proud I am of this team and the fight they showed tonight, MSU head coach David McFatrich said. We preach heart, soul and grit with Bulldog volleyball and they gave it their all against a very good Kansas team. We wish the result was different, but this is only the first match. We have a long way to go and Im confident that this team is going to do great things.The 1,409 fans that packed The Griss on Friday stands as the third-largest crowd in program history and is the highest opening day total at Newell-Grissom since 2011.Our fans were amazing and I cannot thank them enough for showing up and being as electric as they were, McFatrich said. Ive always said that The Griss is the best place in America to play collegiate volleyball and that really rings true when our fans pack this place out.After the Bulldogs grabbed several early leads, Kansas pushed out to as much as a five-point lead in the firsst set.ddddddddddddMSU would not relent, eventually coming back to within one, down 20-19. A pair of kills from Vujcin would keep the Dogs close and bring the Griss crowd to its feet, but Kansas pulled away and survived the first frame, 25-22.A number of errors plagued State early on, but once again the toughness of Bulldog volleyball shined through. MSU would fight back after being down several early four-point deficits, tying it up at 11-11 and again at 12-12. State would hang tough once again, but could not jump out in front, as the Jayhawks took a two-set lead with a 25-20 victory.Friday nights third set was a grinding battle early on, but a 7-1 Kansas run put the Jayhawks out in front. The Bulldogs would attempt several runs, but could not complete the comeback and dropped the final set 25-17 to close out the match.We seemed to shine across the board tonight, but there are still some areas we have to improve in. Bottom line is we have two matches tomorrow against good squads and thats where our focus is right now. Were excited to get back out there.State returns tomorrow at noon CT against the Lamar Cardinals, who dropped a straight-sets decision to the Eastern Washington Eagles. MSU will cap off the day with a 7 p.m., showdown against the Eagles. Both matches will be broadcast on SEC Network +. ' ' '