Nolan Arenado and Colorado slugged their way to a runaway win.
When Milwaukee had to adjust its pitching plans, Arenado and company pounced.
Arenado homered twice and drove in four runs, and the Rockies stopped a three-game slide by pounding the Brewers 11-4 on Wednesday night.
“It was one of those funky games,” said Rockies manager Bud Black, whose team had scored a total of 18 runs while losing six of its last seven games in Milwaukee. “A unique game all the way around.”
Trevor Story also connected in Colorado’s highest-scoring game of the season. Tony Wolters added two RBIs on a tiebreaking single in the sixth inning and a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
“We were trying to find a pitch in our zone,” Story said. “If we didn’t get it, then we took our walks. As a whole, we did a good job tonight.”
Milwaukee had won four of five. But the Brewers had to scramble after Chase Anderson ripped open a callus on his right middle finger, sending him to the injured list and handing the ball to reliever Jacob Barnes for the start.
Barnes walked his first two batters and Arenado hit a three-run shot to center with one out in the first. Arenado tacked on a solo drive in the ninth for his eighth homer.
Mike Moustakas hit a two-run homer for Milwaukee, and Ben Gamel had two hits and two RBIs. Donnie Hand provided a lift with three scoreless innings in relief of Barnes.
Gamel’s two-run single off Carlos Estévez (1-0) put the Brewers in front in the fifth. But the Rockies went ahead to stay in the sixth.
Ryan McMahon scored on a wild pitch by Corbin Burnes (0-3), who was recalled from Triple-A to replace Anderson. Wolters’ pinch-hit single made it 5-4 Colorado, and Blackmon added an RBI double.
“My first inning tonight was strong but the walks killed me in the (sixth),” Burnes said.
Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela allowed two runs and four hits in four innings. Carlos Estévez (1-0) got one out for the win.
Story broke the game open with a three-run homer in the eighth off Jay Jackson. It was Story’s eighth of the season.
“It felt like a really good team win for us,” Story said. “It just felt good to win that game the way we did, putting up 11 runs.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: C Chris Iannetta reported no issues following a three-game rehab assignment with Class A Hartford. The veteran catcher has been out with a strained right lat since April 13, but Black provided no indication of when he might return. “He’s feeling good,” Black said. “I think we’re going to see him at some point.”
Brewers: OF Christian Yelich ramped up his workload, but missed a third straight game with a sore lower back. Counsell said Yelich likely will sit out the series finale against Colorado on Thursday, but could return this weekend at home against the Mets.
UP NEXT
Rockies: RHP Jon Gray gets the ball on Thursday. He struggled in his last start, allowing five runs in 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Braves.
Brewers: RHP Freddy Peralta is scheduled to return to the mound after being sidelined by a sore shoulder. He went 1-0 with a 7.13 ERA in four starts before landing on the injured list on April 16.
AROUND THE MAJORS WEDNESDAY
–The Cleveland Indians have lost another major piece of their starting rotation as they try to capture their fourth straight American League Central title. Corey Kluber broke his right forearm when he was hit by a comebacker during a 4-2 loss to the Marlins. The two-time American League Cy Young Award winner was struck by Brian Anderson’s liner in the fifth inning before his arm was placed in a cast. The Indians will have a better idea tomorrow of how long he might be out. The Indians are already without starter Mike Clevinger, who is sidelined until at least June by a back injury.
— Martin Perez had his longest outing in two seasons, allowing four hits over eight scoreless innings of the Twins’ 6-2 victory against the Astros. Perez sailed after putting the first two runners on base in the opening inning. Jonathan Schoop crushed a towering two-run homer and Nelson Cruz Jr. drove in a pair for Minnesota.
— Ketel Marte was 2-for-2 with a solo homer and two runs scored as the D-Backs completed a two-game sweep of the Yankees, 3-2. Marte’s fourth-inning blast off loser Masahiro Tanaka gave Arizona a 3-0 lead and helped Merrill Kelly improve to 3-2. Kelly allowed one run and five hits in 5 1/3 innings as Arizona won for the seventh time in nine games.
— The Red Sox completed a three-game sweep as Mitch Moreland belted a solo homer and had two RBIs in a 7-3 win over the slumping Athletics. Christian Vázquez also homered and Marcus Walden worked three scoreless innings of one-hit relief after replacing Hector Velázquez after two innings. Mike Fiers gave up three runs and five hits in five innings of Oakland’s sixth consecutive loss.
— Adalberto Mondesi hit a two-run homer and the Royals took the opener of their doubleheader with Tampa Bay by downing the Rays, 3-2. Jakub Junis beat Tampa Bay for the second time in a week, allowing two runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings. The Rays began the day having allowed just four first-inning runs all season before the Royals nicked Ryne Stanek for three in the opening frame.
— Glenn Sparkman was recalled by the Royals for the nightcap, and he delivered by scattering three hits over seven innings of Kansas City’s 8-0 shutout of the Rays. Kelvin Gutierrez homered in the nightcap after proving an RBI in the opener, helping the Royals complete a sweep. Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell was rocked for seven runs in just three innings.
— Mike Trout provided a three-run double and Albert Pujols added his 1,998th career RBI in the Angels’ fifth victory in six games, 6-3 over the Blue Jays. Trout’s bases-clearing drive in the fourth chased Marcus Stroman, who entered the game with a 1.43 ERA. Randal Grichuk and Rowdy Tellez homered for the Blue Jays, who had won nine of 12 before losing the first two in this three-game series.
— Miles Mikolas outpitched Max Scherzer and Marcell Ozuna had three hits as the Cardinals dumped the Nationals, 5-1. José Martínez drove in two runs in helping St. Louis win for the 10th time in 11 games. Washington has lost the first three games of the series and six of its last seven overall to fall to 12-17.
— The Cubs won for the 13th time in 17 games as Jon Lester combined with two relievers on a one-hitter in an 11-0 thrashing of the Mariners. Lester struck out eight and allowed only Ryon Healy’s single over seven innings. Javier Baez hit a solo homer and an RBI double while Chicago put together a six-run second.
— The Giants walked off with a 2-1 win over the Dodgers when Buster Posey delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth. Hyun-Jin Ryu had to settle for a no-decision after limiting San Francisco to a run and four hits over eight innings. Giants starter Madison Bumgarner was also sharp while yielding just a run and four hits while striking out eight over six frames.
— Pirates rookie Bryan Reynolds extended his career-opening hitting streak to nine games by lacing a three-run double in the fourth inning of a 7-5 win over the Rangers. Reynolds put the Bucs ahead to stay one day after his first career homerun gave them an 11-inning, 6-4 win that ended an eight-game losing streak. Joey Gallo, Danny Santana and Shin-Soo Choo homered for Texas.
— Maikel Franco hit a bases-clearing double in the seventh and Rhys Hoskins homered as the Phillies whipped the Tigers, 7-3. Franco is tied with Hoskins for the team RBI lead with 25 despite primarily batting out of the eighth spot in the lineup. Aaron Nola pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball in helping Philadelphia earn a split of the two-game interleague series.
— Dansby Swanson homered and drove in three to support Max Fried in the Braves’ 5-1 win over the Padres. Fried gave up one run and four hits in seven innings to outduel Cal Quantrill, who overcame a shaky first inning to give up two runs on six hits and one walk in 5 2/3s. Atlanta led just 2-1 in the seventh until pinch-hitter Ronald Acuña Jr. hit an RBI single and Swanson followed with a two-run blast.
— Edwin Diaz surrendered a tiebreaking homer in the ninth for the second straight appearance, giving up a blast by Jose Iglesias in the ninth inning of the Reds’ 1-0 downing of the Mets. Anthony DeSclafani and four relievers combined to limit New York to five hits. The Mets wasted a strong outing by Jacob deGrom, who allowed just three hits over seven shutout innings.
— Richie Martin tripled in the eighth and scored the tiebreaking run on Jonathan Villar’s sacrifice fly as the Orioles beat the White Sox, 5-4 in Game 1 of a twinbill. Martin hit an RBI double as Baltimore chased Carlos Rodón with a three-run fourth before the Birds ended a four-game skid. Dwight Smith Jr. tied it at 4 with a run-scoring double in the seventh.
— The White Sox salvaged a split of their double header by downing the O’s, 7-6 on Yonder Alonso’s two-run single with two out in the ninth inning. With two down and runners on second and third, Jose Abreu was walked intentionally to get to Alonso, who lined a game-ending single into left field.