Arenado, Rockies roar past Brewers
The Rockies offense was in full force on Sunday, providing left-hander Chris Rusin with plenty of support in a 10-4 series-clinching victory over Milwaukee on Sunday afternoon at Coors Field.
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Colorado scored all its runs between the third and sixth innings as seven of the nine starters picked up hits. Two-out RBI singles from DJ LeMahieu and Troy Tulowitzki started things in the third, and Nolan Arenado (solo home run) and Charlie Blackmon (two-run single) kept things rolling in the fourth. That supplied more than enough help for Rusin (3-2), who gave up three runs and seven hits over six innings.
Video: MIL@COL: Blackmon smacks two-run single to pad lead
The Rockies' four-run sixth -- which saw RBI hits from Nick Hundley, Blackmon and Tulowitzki -- finally knocked out Matt Garza, who surrendered 10 runs (seven earned) and 13 hits over 5 1/3 innings.
"I probably broke eight, nine bats on those hits," Garza said. "My stuff's good, and that tells me it is. I'm just not having my year. It just feels like everything is falling right where nobody's at. You just keep going, keep pounding the pavement and keep working."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Taking advantage: The Rockies scored three unearned runs in the third after second baseman Hernan Perez dropped a flip from shortstop Jean Segura, putting runners on first and second with no outs. After Rusin's sacrifice, Blackmon's grounder netted a run and LeMahieu and Tulowitzki followed with run-scoring singles.
Video: MIL@COL: Tulowitzki extends lead with RBI single
Ouch: Rockies right fielder Carlos Gonzalez left the game in the fifth with a mild sprain of his left hand and is listed as day-to-day. He said he injured the top of his hand while hitting a fly ball on his second and final at-bat in the third. He said it was the first time he had felt soreness there and an X-ray was negative. "Hopefully, it's nothing bad. We have a day off tomorrow, which is nice. We'll do treatment and see how it is when I come back Tuesday." More >
Unlucky 13: After having never given up as many as 13 hits in his first 234 Major League games, Garza has done just that in back-to-back starts. He yielded a hit in every inning but the first, and Garza surrendered at least three base knocks in three of the six frames he appeared in. Garza has now given up 105 hits, pushing him ahead of Kyle Lohse for most on the Brewers pitching staff. More >
Video: MIL@COL: Brewers turn strike-em-out, throw-em-out DP
Un-clutch: Not much went right for the Brewers, including their chances with runners in scoring position. Milwaukee finished 3-for-12 in such situations and managed just single runs in the second, fourth, sixth and eighth innings. The Brewers left runners stranded at third in both the seventh and the eighth.
"We had some chances, but we couldn't get that big inning going," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "We got men on, but we couldn't get that next hit to keep the line moving."
Video: MIL@COL: Perez puts Brewers on board with single
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SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Arenado hit his 17th home run, putting him one shy of the career-high he set last season. Arenado hit 18 homers in 467 plate appearances in 2014. His 17 homers this year have come in 276 plate appearances.
Video: MIL@COL: Arenado blasts a solo shot to extend lead
WHAT'S NEXT
Brewers: Milwaukee has an off-day on Monday before starting a three-game series with the Mets on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. CT. Mike Fiers gets the ball in the opener, looking for his first-ever win against New York. In two career games (one start), he's 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA.
Rockies: Colorado has its first off-day Monday after playing 17 games in 17 days before finishing an eight-game homestand with the D-backs, beginning Tuesday night at 6:40 p.m. MT. Kyle Kendrick will be seeking his first win this season at Coors Field, where he's 0-4 with a 6.81 ERA in six starts
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