DENVER (AP) — Willy Adames hit a tying sacrifice fly in the ninth inning and Rhys Hoskins was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded as the Milwaukee Brewers rallied past the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Tuesday night.
Brenton Doyle homered for the third time in two games and hit an RBI double for the Rockies. Colorado left fielder Nolan Jones recorded another sizzling outfield assist with a 100.8 mph throw to the plate to deny the Brewers a run in the seventh, keeping the game tied at 2.
In the ninth, the Brewers loaded the bases with one out against Nick Mears (1-4), who allowed Adames' deep fly to center that tied it at 3. Mears re-loaded the bases with a walk and was replaced by Justin Lawrence, who threw a 3-2 pitch inside that clipped Hoskins on his upper body.
“You’ve got to make guys throw the ball over the plate," Hoskins said. “Stuff is so good now that if you’re helping guys, you’re going to fall behind pretty quick. We did a great job of that tonight, put pressure on the other team. I got to face a guy coming in with the bases loaded. I like that for the hitter every time because the pressure is on the pitcher there.”
Lawrence said he was trying to throw a fastball low and inside to Hoskins.
“I went away a few times in a row with the slider,” Lawrence said. “If I locate a good pitch down and in, it might freeze him right there and we’re not having this conversation but, you know, it just got away from me and it got him.”
Colorado lost for the seventh time this season when leading after eight innings, the most such losses in the majors.
The Brewers posted their 26th come-from-behind win this season, most in the majors. Their last six wins have all been come-from-behind victories.
NL Central-leading Milwaukee had dropped its previous six games at Colorado.
“That last inning, we were fortunate, too, but give our guys credit. This has been a tough place for us to pull off a victory,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “We didn’t get the big hit offensively, but we pecked away and came up with enough.”
Rob Zastryzny (1-0) got the last two outs in the eighth, and Trevor Megill worked the ninth for his 18th save in 19 opportunities.
The Rockies took a 3-2 lead in the eighth on Doyle's run-scoring double. Doyle homered in the second inning after going deep twice in Colorado's 8-7, 10-inning win over Milwaukee on Monday.
In the seventh, Milwaukee's Brice Turang hit a high flyball that fell for an RBI double when right fielder Hunter Goodman lost it in the lights. Turang was thrown out by Jones while trying to score on Adames' two-out single. Jones has the two fastest outfield assists in the majors this season after he made a 101.3 mph throw a night earlier to get a Brewers baserunner at second.
Dallas Keuchel, making his second start for the Brewers after they acquired him from Seattle, allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings. The 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner had been pitching for the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate before the deal.
Ryan Feltner allowed one run in five innings for the Rockies.
Trainer's room
Rockies: RHP Antonio Senzatela threw breaking pitches in a bullpen session for the first time in his rehab from Tommy John surgery. He is expected to throw a couple more bullpens before facing live hitters in seven to 10 days and remains on target for a September return. Senzatela had the surgery a year ago.
Up next
The four-game series continues Wednesday with RHP Colin Rea (7-2, 3.61 ERA) starting for the Brewers against Rockies RHP Dakota Hudson (2-11, 5.84 ERA).