Atlanta, GA (Best E Casino) - Kelly Johnson trotted home with the game- winning run when Colorado reliever Taylor Buchholz balked, and the Atlanta Braves downed the Rockies, 5-4, in the opener of a three-game series at Turner Field.

Casey Kotchman drove in two runs for the Braves, who halted a two-game skid. Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann both added an RBI in the win.

Brad Hawpe belted a two-run homer for the Rockies, who have dropped three straight games. Garrett Atkins tied the contest in the ninth with a solo home run and Chris Iannetta also homered in the loss.

The Rockies currently sit seven games behind the NL West-leading Dodgers, who are currently playing the Padres.

"I just juggled the ball in my hand (during the windup) and I froze," said Buchholz. "It's the most stupid thing I've ever done. I would've liked to have made them beat me with me a pitch."

After the Rockies tied the contest at 4-4 on Atkins' solo blast in the ninth, the costly miscue by Buchholz (6-6) lost it for them. He got the first two outs in the bottom of the 10th, but Johnson singled and raced around to third on a double by Josh Anderson. Buchholz set up to face the next batter, Omar Infante, but prior to the (potential) first pitch thrown to Infante, Buchholz started his windup and stopped during it, therefore causing the obvious balk call by home plate umpire Wally Bell and Johnson walked home for the win.

"I thought time was called (by the umpire), but it was obviously a pleasant surprise to see them call a balk," said Johnson. "I think (Buchholz) saw me take an extra step in his windup and thought I was timing him."

Julian Tavarez (1-3) tossed a 1-2-3 top of the 10th to earn the win.

The Braves opened the scoring with three runs in the first inning. Anderson singled leading off, stole second base and moved to third on a base hit by Infante. McCann's one-out single scored Anderson before a Kotchman plated two more with a double to make it 3-0.

In the top of the fourth, Hawpe's towering two-run blast to right cut the Colorado deficit to one.

Francoeur gave the Braves a two-run edge in the home sixth. With Kotchman on first base via a one-out walk, Francoeur drilled an RBI double off the left- center field wall.

The top of the seventh saw the visitors climb within one on Iannetta's solo home run.

The Rockies still trailed by one at the start of the ninth inning, but leadoff batter Atkins sent a fastball from Braves reliever Mike Gonzalez over the wall in left field for a 4-4 tie. Gonzalez, though, quickly settled down and got three straight outs, including two strikeouts.

In the bottom of the ninth, Chipper Jones and McCann stroked consecutive one- out singles, and Yunel Escobar hit a routine grounder that appeared to be an inning-ending double play, but Rockies third baseman Ian Stewart bobbled the ball and the bases were loaded with one out. The next batter was Kotchman, who ended the threat by grounding into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play, sending the game to extra innings.

Game Notes

This marked the third straight extra-innings game for the Braves, who outhit the Rockies, 14-6...Atlanta starter Jorge Campillo allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings...Rockies twirler Aaron Cook gave up four runs and six hits in six solid frames...Gonzalez was charged with his first blown save since 2004...The Rockies committed three errors...Attendance was 21,821.