DENVER (AP) - Kyle Freeland and Trevor Story helped the Colorado Rockies bounce back nicely from one of their toughest losses of the season.
Freeland pitched effectively into the seventh inning, Story homered twice and doubled to drive in Colorado’s runs, and the Rockies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-0 Saturday night.
Freeland (3-4) kept the Brewers in check the night after they had battered Rockies’ pitchers in an 11-10 win in 10 innings. He gave up four hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out six and walking four while helping Colorado snap a three-game losing streak.
“When you kind of hit a little skid, you want to be the guy to step up and shut that down and get a team win and start a new trend, start a new streak,” Freeland said. “That was kind of the thing tonight, where I wanted to step up, be that guy that stops this losing streak and gets a team win.”
Rockies manager Bud Black said he noted a collective effort by the team to put Friday night’s defeat behind them and move forward.
“I think this team has a great ability to turn the page, to come ready to play the next day fresh and to get after it with a clear mind,” Black said. “I’m proud of the way these guys bounced back and Kyle set the tone, obviously.”
Story did his part, too, putting together his first multihomer game of the season, hitting both off Brent Suter (2-3), who pitched a day ahead of his scheduled start after Chase Anderson was scratched hours before he was to take the mound because of a stomach illness.
“My command was OK,” Suter said. “With off-speed, it wasn’t great today. Fastball command was probably below average. He (Story) got a hold of some mistakes and took care of them. That was the difference in the game.”
Nolan Arenado tripled ahead of Story’s first-inning homer and doubled ahead of his run-scoring double in the third. Story added a solo home run in the fifth for his first multihomer game since last Aug. 16 against Atlanta. He has six in his career.
Suter, whose fifth inning double stood out as the Brewers’ only extra-base hit, went five innings and allowed four runs and seven hits. He struck out two and walked one.
Freeland was relieved by Bryan Shaw after issuing successive one-out walks in the seventh but Shaw and Mike Dunn retired the next two batters to end the threat.
Adam Ottavino and Wade Davis each pitched scoreless innings to close out the win for the Rockies.
HOT CORNER
Jesus Aguilar made his first career start at third base, part of a strategy by Brewers manager Craig Counsell to keep his bat in the lineup against a left-handed starter. Aguilar, a first baseman, had only three previous stints at third base during his career, spending 3 1/3 innings there. He deftly handled a pair of grounders and snared a liner before he moved to first in the bottom of the sixth when Ryan Braun moved to left field.
ARENADO’S STREAK
Arenado has reached base safely in 22 consecutive games since April 12, the second longest streak of his career. He reached in 30 straight in 2014.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: Following the game, manager Craig Counsell announced a series of moves, including the placement of Anderson on the 10-day DL with illness and the calling up of RHP Freddy Peralta from Class AAA Colorado Springs. Also, RHP Alec Asher was optioned to Colorado Springs and RHP Jorge Lopez was recalled. Peralta was scratched from his start at Colorado Springs so he can start Sunday’s series finale.
UP NEXT
Brewers: RHP Freddy Peralta (0-0) will make his major league debut. He was 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in seven starts at Colorado Springs. Peralta was scratched from his start for Colorado Springs on Saturday for his promotion to the Brewers. “His family was in Colorado Springs,” Counsell said. “Never seen him pitch professionally. They were there to watch him pitch tonight, so they got a good gift.”
Rockies: RHP Jon Gray (4-4, 4.24 ERA) has won three straight starts since losing a career-high three in a row.
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