Arenado Hits NL-Leading 34th Homer But Rockies Fail To Beat Brewers
MILWAUKEE (The Sports Xchange) - Ryan Braun hit two home runs, Zach Davies struck out eight and the Milwaukee Brewers finished off a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies with a 7-1 victory Wednesday afternoon at Miller Park.
Davies (10-6) had lost two in a row coming into the game but scattered five hits and three walks over six innings.
The only blemish on his line was a first-inning home run by third baseman Nolan Arenado, who moved into sole possession of first place on the National League leaderboard with 34 on the season - one ahead of Chicago's Kris Bryant.
Colorado starter Tyler Anderson (4-5) struck out 10 while allowing three hits and a pair of walks over five innings.
Anderson allowed a leadoff single to Jonathan Villar in the first inning but retired the next 10 batters in a row -- striking out the side in the third -- before permitting the one-out home run to Braun in the fourth, tying the game at 1.
Milwaukee took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning on an RBI double by Villar and added an insurance run in the sixth when Hernan Perez singled, stole third and scored on Orlando Arcia's safety squeeze.
Braun added his second homer, a two-run shot to center, in the seventh off left-hander Chad Qualls to give him 24 for the season.
The Brewers padded the lead with a walk from Perez and back-to-back doubles by Chris Carter and Domingo Santana.
The Rockies have now dropped six consecutive road games and four of their last five contests overall.
Milwaukee, meanwhile, tied a season-high with its fourth consecutive victory while sweeping a series for the fourth time this season. The sweep was the Brewers' first since taking three in a row from the Pirates, who come to Miller Park Thursday for a four-game series.
NOTES: Rockies 2B D.J. LeMahieu sat out a second straight game with an inflamed left wrist. He was available to pinch-run or serve as a defensive replacement but was unable to hit, manager Walt Weiss said. ... With a packed outfield, Weiss opted to give Gerardo Parra his first career start at 1B Wednesday. ... Milwaukee sent three players out on minor league rehab assignments. INF Will Middlebrooks will serve as the DH Wednesday night for Class A Wisconsin while RHP Jacob Barnes will report to Double-A Biloxi on Friday and RHP Junior Guerra will start for Triple-A Colorado Springs on Saturday. All three are expected to return after rosters expand to 40 players on Sept. 1. ... Brewers RHP Michael Blazek has been slow in his recovery from a right forearm strain but manager Craig Counsell wasn't ready to declare Blazek done for the season. Blazek has been out since June 14.
