DENVER, May 18 (UPI) -- Denny Stark allowed four hits over seven innings and paced the offensive attack with a two-run homer Saturday as the Colorado Rockies posted a 7-3 triumph over the Atlanta Braves.
Stark (2-0) continued his fine pitching for the Rockies, allowing just one run in his second start of the season. The 27-year-old righthander walked one and struck out five.
In two starts, Stark has allowed just one run and six hits in 13 innings. In three career starts at Coors Field, the 27-year-old righthander is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA.
But Stark was more than just a factor on the mound, recording his first career hit in a four-run fourth inning. After Bobby Estalella erased a one-run deficit with a two-run double, Stark homered to left for a 4-1 lead.
Stark's home run came off Atlanta starter Kevin Millwood, who also homered earlier in the game. Millwood (2-5) was tagged for seven runs in four-plus innings with three walks and three strikeouts.
Millwood escaped an early jam in the first, retiring Todd Zeile and Todd Hollandsworth with the bases loaded. He also worked out of trouble in the second, stranding Jose Ortiz at third base.
Millwood's second career homer, a one-out shot to left in the third, gave Atlanta a 1-0 lead. But Colorado scored four times in the fourth. Hollandsworth and Ortiz singled and Estalella doubled before Stark crushed an 0-1 pitch over the left field wall.
Colorado tacked on three runs in the fifth. Larry Walker opened the inning with a triple and scored when first baseman Wes Helms misplayed Todd Helton's ground ball. Zeile doubled and Ortiz singled off Chris Hammond one out later for a 6-1 cushion.
Estalella made it a six-run lead with a sacrifice fly.
Chris Nichting took over for Stark in the eighth and allowed two-out singles to Marcus Giles and Gary Sheffield. Kent Mercker came on and allowed an RBI single to Chipper Jones that got Atlanta within 7-2.
