MILWAUKEE – Ryan Braun hit two home runs, and the Milwaukee Brewers tied a season high with their fourth consecutive win, beating the Colorado Rockies 7-1 Wednesday.
Braun hit a solo drive off Tyler Anderson in the fourth inning. He connected for his 24th homer, a two-run drive, off Chad Qualls during a four-run seventh.
The Brewers posted their first three-game sweep over Colorado at Miller Park since 2011.
Nolan Arenado hit his NL-leading 34th homer in the first, his fourth shot in 15 plate appearances. The Rockies went on to load the bases, but Zach Davies (10-6) escaped further trouble.
Davies struck out eight in six innings.
Anderson (4-5) fanned a career-high 10 in five innings.
The Brewers manufactured the go-ahead run in the fifth. Orlando Arcia walked, advanced on a groundout, stole third and scored on Jonathan Villar’s second hit of the game.
Milwaukee tacked on another run on Arcia’s bunt single in the sixth off reliever Chris Rushin. Arcia pushed a bunt in front of the plate. Catcher Tony Wolters chased it down and flipped it to Rushin covering the plate, but Hernan Perez stepped around the tag and scored.
Chris Carter hit an RBI double and scored on a single by Domingo Santana in the seventh.
Anderson’s strikeouts came a day after Jon Gray fanned 10. According to STATS, this was the first time Rockies starters had reached double-digit strikeouts in consecutive games.
Gerardo Parra started at first base for the first time in 988 career games. “He’s done it before (in spring training), but briefly,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. “He’s been working out over there. I’m just trying to find a way to keep him involved.”
Rockies: 2B DJ LeMahieu, second in the NL in batting at .344, missed his second consecutive game with inflammation in left wrist. “He’s still available to do some of the other things, but I’m not going to use him to hit,” Weiss said. “When you hurt your wrist, your fingers or anything to your hand as a hitter, it is going to take a while.” The Rockies have an off day Thursday. ... CF Charlie Blackmon returned to the lineup after not starting four games with a bruised right toe.
Brewers: RHPs Junior Guerra and Jacob Barnes and 3B Will Middlebrooks are headed out on rehab assignments. Guerra makes a start for Triple-A Colorado Springs on Saturday. Barnes is expected to pitch out of the bullpen on Friday with Double-A Biloxi. Middlebrooks takes the field with Class-A Wisconsin on Wednesday night. All three players are expected to rejoin the team when rosters expand on Sept. 1.
Rockies: RHP Jeff Hoffman (0-1, 13.50 ERA) will make his second career start and first on the road in the opener Friday of a three-game series against the Washington Nationals. Two years since Tommy John surgery, Hoffman was acquired from Toronto on July 28, 2015, as part of a deal for RHP LaTroy Hawkins and SS Troy Tulowitzki.
