Jake Cave breaks tie with 6th-inning homer, Rockies top Brewers 4-3
Fireworks light up the sky over Coors Field to mark the Independence Day holiday after the Colorado Rockies defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Denver. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski
DENVER — Jake Cave hit his first home run of the season to snap a sixth-inning tie, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 on Thursday night to gain a split of the four-game series.
Charlie Blackmon had two hits, including a two-run double for the Rockies.
Cave homered off Tobias Myers (5-3), driving a 1-0 offering over the fence in straightaway center. It was his first home run since the Rockies acquired him near the end of spring training in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Brewers trailed 3-0 but pulled within a run on Andruw Monasterio’s two-run single in the fourth inning off Cal Quantrill, who had walked the bases loaded around a flyout and a groundout. Anthony Molina (1-0) came on in relief to start the sixth and walked Rhys Hoskins ahead of Jackson Chourio’s tying RBI double.
Jalen Beeks got the last four outs for his seventh save.
The Rockies put up the first three runs and Blackmon was at the center of the scoring. He singled off Myers to start the game, advanced to second on Ezequiel Tovar’s sacrifice and scored when Ryan McMahon doubled.
Blackmon added his two-out, two-run double in the second.
Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, left, congratulates right fielder Jake Cave after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers in a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Denver. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski
Quantrill allowed two runs on five hits in five innings and finished with two strikeouts and four walks.
He struck out Christian Yelich in the first inning for his 500th career strikeout, becoming the 16th Canadian player to do so. The group includes his father, Paul Quantrill, who pitched in the majors for 14 years.
Myers allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked one but his streak of five straight winning decisions came to an end.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Jalen Beeks works against the Milwaukee Brewers in the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Denver. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski
Rockies: CF Brenton Doyle was not in Thursday’s starting lineup, sitting out because of tightness in his left calf. Doyle fouled a pitch off his calf during Wednesday’s night’s game against the Brewers. … INF Elehuris Montero has cleared waivers after being designated for assignment and the Rockies have outrighted him to Triple-A Albuquerque.
UP NEXT
Brewers: Head to Los Angeles to play a three-game series against the Dodgers. RHP Aaron Civale, who went 2-6 with a 5.07 ERA in 17 starts for Tampa Bay this season, was acquired by the Brewers in a trade Wednesday, and is slated to start Friday night’s opener against the Dodgers’ RHP Tyler Glasnow (8-5, 3.23 ERA).
Rockies: LHP Kyle Freeland (0-3, 7.94 ERA) will be making his third start since returning from a left elbow strain that sidelined him for two months. He’ll face LHP Cole Ragans (5-6, 3.33 ERA) Friday night in the first of a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals.