Bettis Struggles As Rockies Fall To Brewers
MILWAUKEE (The Sports Xchange) - Jimmy Nelson snapped a six-game losing streak with six solid innings and Chris Carter hit his 30th home run of the season as the Milwaukee Brewers opened a 10-game homestand with a 4-2 over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night at Miller Park.
Nelson (7-13) shook off a shaky opening inning and held the Rockies to two runs and seven hits and didn't walk a batter in his longest start since July 16 when he worked seven shutout innings against the Cincinnati Reds in his first start of the second half. He hadn't won since then.
Milwaukee's offense did its part, wiping out the first-inning deficit with a two-run single by Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Chris Carter hit his 30th home run of the season in the third.
Tyler Thornburg worked a perfect ninth for his fifth save of the season.
David Dahl had two hits and stole two bases for the Rockies, who got only five innings out of starter David Bettis.
Bettis (10-7) walked seven batters and allowed four runs (three earned) and four hits while striking out three.
Dahl gave the Rockies an 1-0 lead in the first inning when he reached on a leadoff single, stole second and scored on a wild pitch by Nelson.
The Brewers responded in the bottom of the inning, tying the score when Jonathan Villar singled and eventually came home on an error by Daniel Descalso.
Nieuwenhuis made it 3-1 with a two-run single to shallow center before Bettis got out of the inning.
Carter gave Milwaukee a 4-1 lead with his one-out shot in the third, but Dahl singled and scored in the fifth to get Colorado back within two runs.
NOTES: Colorado placed RHP Scott Oberg on the 15-day disabled list Monday with axillary artery thrombosis. Oberg last pitched Friday and experienced arm tightness after the game. Manager Walt Weiss said he'd need a "day or two" of rest before developing a rehab plan. RHP Carlos Estevez was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to replace Oberg on the active roster. ... Brewers RHP Junior Guerra will throw a simulated game Tuesday and, if all goes well, will move on to a minor-league rehab start and could return to Milwaukee's rotation in early September, manager Craig Counsell said Monday. Guerra has been out since Aug 8 with soreness in his right elbow. ... The Rockies and Brewers were facing each other for the first time this season. After this series, the teams won't meet again until the final weekend of the season.