UCLA Alum Earns 2nd Win of Season in Bounce Back vs Braves

After blowing his second save against the Atlanta Braves on Friday, former UCLA reliever and current Colorado Rockies stud Jake Bird almost had a similar outing on Sunday but earned his second win of the season instead.

Bird (2-1) was brought from the bullpen in the bottom of the sixth of Colorado's 10-1 win over the Braves Sunday. Bird entered with a 1-0 lead and immediately gave up a single to Ronald Acuna Jr. Austin Riley singled to left, advanced to second and Acuna Jr. was thrown out at home.

Matt Olson then came up and got the third-straight single, advancing Riley to third. Marcell Ozuna came up to the plater and got yet another hit off Bird, bringing Riley home to tie the game. Bird went on to strike out Ozzie Albies and fly out Sean Murphy to close out the inning and his appearance for the day.

Ryan McMahon hit a home run in the very next frame to kick start a 9-0 Rockies run and give Bird the win.

Bird entered Sunday with a 2.06 ERA that shot up from a 1.42 after allowing three runs against the Braves on Friday. Bird now boasts a 2.23 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 40.1 innings pitched for the season. Make no mistake, his last two appearances against the brunt of Atlanta's lineup were rough, but they are no indictment on the tremendous season he is enjoying.

The former Bruins' stellar play has garnered tremendous reported attention from other ball clubs desperate for a bullpen arm like his ahead of the MLB trade deadline. The Rockies could get some solid prospects in a deal for Bird. Suggested suitors include the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies among other contenders looking to bolster their bullpens for the rest of the season.

Bird was a standout ace for the Bruins in his three seasons at UCLA, none better than his senior year in 2018 where he boasted a Pac-12-leading 2.17 ERA, finishing the year with a 7-4 record. His performance on and off the mound earned him an Academic All-American Third Team selection, the first Bruin since 1988 to earn those honors, and an All-Pac-12 selection.

Bird was drafted by the Rockies with the 156th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB Draft. This is Bird's fourth season in Colorado and is easily his best. He never had below a 4.33 ERA season in his first three years and is currently on pace to have one of the best reliever seasons in the National League.