Brewers rally to beat Rockies

[August 24, 2016]  MILWAUKEE -- When Brent Suter walked off the mound Tuesday night, the last thing he expected was to celebrate his first major league victory after the game.

Suter pitched a scoreless seventh inning in his home debut, and the Milwaukee Brewers still faced a two-run deficit.

That all changed in the bottom half of the inning, when Hernan Perez hit a two-run triple down the line in right, capping off a three-run rally that produced a 6-4 Milwaukee victory over the Colorado Rockies at Miller Park.

Nolan Arenado's three-run home run in the second inning put the Rockies up early, and Colorado right-hander Jon Gray added to the lead with an RBI double in the fourth.

Milwaukee squandered a golden opportunity in the sixth, loading the bases with one out against Gray, but couldn't cash in.

Gray retired the final two batters to bring his day to a close having allowed just two runs on four hits with three walks and 10 strikeouts.

"He did a great job," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "I thought he found his slider tonight about the second or third inning. He was striking guys out. He looked like the guy we know. That was a great sign."

With Gray out of the game, the Brewers' fortunes started to improve.

In the seventh, pinch hitter Orlando Arcia and Jonathan Villar hit back-to-back, one-out doubles off Jake McGee and Boone Logan, respectively, to make it a one-run game.

Logan (2-3) struck out Scooter Gennett and intentionally walked Ryan Braun to put runners on first and second before giving way to Carlos Estevez. The right-hander got ahead 0-2 to Perez, who ripped the next offering down the line in right for a triple that scored the tying and go-ahead runs.

"I was having a tough day at the plate, so after two strikes, I went to my two-strike approach," said Perez, who went 1-for-4 and struck out twice Tuesday but is batting .309 since the All-Star break. "He gave me a fastball, I put the bat on it, and thankful it was a hit."

Milwaukee added an insurance run in the eighth when pinch hitter Domingo Santana hit a sacrifice fly to center.

"We've got some young talented guys in the bullpen that are learning on the job," Weiss said. "Sometimes you go through these types of things. It's always frustrating when you are winning late and don't put the game away. You've got a few guys down there right now searching for their confidence. Sometimes it just takes going out there and putting down a clean inning once or twice."

Brewers center fielder Keon Broxton (23) reacts after flying out with the bases loaded during the sixth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Suter, who made his major league debut last Friday at Seattle, had to share the spotlight. With closer Tyler Thornburg unavailable after throwing three innings in two days, Corey Knebel was called on to work the ninth.

Knebel put two on with two outs but escaped the jam to earn his first career save.

"He and I were in the bucket getting everything thrown on us and just having a lot of fun with it," Suter said. "Corey did a great job with that ninth-inning situation. Have to give props to him, and our defense played great. All the way around, a great team win."

Brewers starter Chase Anderson allowed three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven over five innings in his first start since taking a line drive to the leg last week at Wrigley Field.

NOTES: 2B DJ LeMahieu was scratched from the Rockies' lineup with inflammation in his left wrist three hours before first pitch Tuesday. LeMahieu began the day second in the NL with a .344 average. ... The Rockies did get CF Charlie Blackmon back in the leadoff spot Tuesday after he missed four consecutive starts with a bruised big toe on his right foot. ... Rookie SS Orlando Arcia didn't start Tuesday following another hitless showing Monday against the Rockies. In his previous 10 games, the Brewers' top prospect is batting just .059 (2-for-34) with 11 strikeouts and three walks. He singled as a pinch hitter Tuesday. ... Brewers RHP Junior Guerra (right elbow soreness), RHP Jacob Barnes (right elbow impingement) and INF Will Middlebrooks (lower right leg strain) all felt good after taking part in a simulated game Tuesday. They will begin minor league rehabilitation assignments later this week with the expectation of returning to Milwaukee in early September.

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