DENVER -- Center fielder Charlie Blackmon was removed from the Rockies' 3-2 10-inning win over the Braves after the ninth inning on Saturday night because of a tight back.
"It was a little bit tight most of the game, and it just kept getting tighter," Blackmon said. "I've dealt with that before, been all right. Usually it's pretty manageable. It's not something that's new. It's not something that I would consider an injury, it's just more of a spasm situation."
Blackmon, one of the team's most dangerous hitters, attempted a bunt with runners on first and second and none out in the ninth inning. He popped foul to Braves third baseman Ryan Flaherty for the first out.
"Charlie, being the gamer that he is, grinded through a progressively tightening back throughout the game," manager Bud Black said. "So when we got to that situation in the ninth, I wasn't going to let him swing with a bad back. I thought he could square a bunt down, he's a good bunter. At that moment, that was our best option to advance the runner to get to [DJ LeMahieu] and [Nolan Arenado], and potentially CarGo [Carlos Gonzalez]."
In the top of the 10th, Blackmon was replaced in the field by Mike Tauchman.
After the game, Blackmon said he still felt a little tight, but he was not overly concerned.
"I've dealt with it at some point every year for the last three years -- at times," said Blackmon, who played in 157, 143 and 159 games over the previous three seasons and signed a six-year extension on Wednesday. "It's not something that's always there. It's usually when I get tired. It tends to happen here more than on the road."