Nolan Arenado put Colorado up for good with a two-run triple in the third inning and the Rockies cruised past the Milwaukee Brewers 8-4 in the series opener in Denver.
Charlie Blackmon, Gerardo Parra and Carlos Gonzalez clubbed home runs for the Rockies, who knocked Matt Garza out of the game in the fifth. Garza (6-7) pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing 8 runs (7 earned) on 9 hits.
German Marquez (10-5) tossed 5 2/3 innings of four-run ball to pick up the win.
Keon Broxton (20th), Domingo Santana (20th) and Orlando Arcia (12th) went yard for the Brewers, who saw their four-game win streak come to an end.
The Cubs and Cardinals both won yesterday, which dropped the Brewers into third place in the NL Central. They trail the Cubs by 2 games. The Cardinals are 1 1/2 games back but a half game in front of the Brewers.
Rookie Brandon Woodruff (1-1, 1.50) gets the start in game two of the series for the Brewers tonight (7:10 p.m.). Chad Bettis (0-0, 0.00) foes for the Rockies.
AUDIO: Craig Counsell isn’t giving up on Matt Garza :09
AUDIO: Keon Broxton confident the Brewers will bounce back :10