MILWAUKEE — Andrew Chafin and Abner Uribe couldn't find the plate with the game on the line.
The Colorado Rockies happily took advantage.
Chafin and Uribe combined to allow three straight bases-loaded walks in the 10th inning and the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers lost 7-3 to the Rockies on Tuesday night.
“We didn't throw strikes that inning,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “Any time it's that kind of dramatic, it's going to cost you. It certainly cost us.”
The Brewers lead the NL Central by 1 1/2 games over the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds. The Cubs beat the New York Mets 3-2 and the Reds lost to the Miami Marlins 3-2 on Tuesday.
Colorado’s Nolan Jones went deep twice for the first multi-homer game of his career. Other homers came from Colorado’s Elias Díaz and Milwaukee’s William Contreras and Andruw Monasterio.
“Coming in and seeing my name in the lineup for a good amount of time here in a row, it's definitely a good feeling,” said Jones, who is batting .357 over his last eight games. “I'm getting an opportunity and just trying to take advantage of it.”
The game was decided by the Milwaukee bullpen's control issues. Chafin (2-4) and Uribe didn’t throw a strike in any of the three bases-loaded walks.
Chafin walked Michael Toglia to start the 10th before Brenton Doyle loaded the bases with a bunt single down the third base line. Harold Castro, who began the inning as the automatic runner on second, scored the go-ahead run when Chafin walked Cole Tucker on four pitches.
“My sinker might have been sinking a little too much today, working through the bottom of the zone more than I wanted it to,” said Chafin, who had pitched a scoreless inning in each of his first three appearances with Milwaukee since arriving from Arizona at the trade deadline. “I just didn't make the adjustment quick enough. You all saw what happened after that.”
Uribe came in for Chafin and promptly walked Ezequiel Tovar on three pitches — Uribe started the at-bat with a pitch-clock violation — to score another run. Uribe, a rookie making his 10th career appearance, then walked Ryan McMahon on four pitches as the Rockies increased their lead to 6-3.
Uribe retired the next three batters with two strikeouts and a Jones sacrifice fly that brought home Tucker with the game's final run. But by that point, the damage was done.
“That’s part of this process,” Counsell said. “That’s part of being a big league pitcher. It’s the 10th inning. That’s the spot for him. He recovered, which is a lesson to learn from it. But it’s spots you’re going to have to pitch in as a big leaguer. It’s a good learning experience for him.”
Colorado's Justin Lawrence retired the side in order in the bottom of the 10th to seal the victory. Matt Koch (1-0) earned the win with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Brent Suter, who pitched for the Brewers from 2016-22, combined with Koch and Lawrence to pitch four innings of one-hit relief.
The Rockies trailed 2-1 before Díaz and Jones greeted reliever Elvis Peguero with back-to-back homers to start the seventh inning. Jones also homered in the fourth off Milwaukee’s Wade Miley, the only run he allowed in his 300th career start.
Peguero had given up just two homers in 45 2/3 innings this season before giving up the back-to-back shots.
Milwaukee responded quickly as Monasterio led off the bottom of the seventh with his second homer of the season.
Rockies starter Kyle Freeland struck out four, walked none and allowed eight hits and three runs in six innings. Miley also worked six innings and struck out two while giving up two hits, three walks and one run.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: 2B Brendan Rodgers wasn't in the lineup Tuesday after tweaking a hamstring a night earlier on a ball he fielded up the middle in the first inning. Rockies manager Bud Black said there's a possibility Rodgers also won't play Wednesday. Black is optimistic the issue won't require a stint on the injured list.
Brewers: 1B Carlos Santana was scratched from the starting lineup before the game due to an illness.
UP NEXT
RHP Chris Flexen (1-5, 7.82 ERA) starts for the Rockies, and RHP Adrian Houser (4-3, 4.19) pitches for the Brewers in the series finale Wednesday afternoon.
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