MILWAUKEE — The dog days of summer have pounced on the Rockies like a fat St. Bernard.
The Brewers beat the Rockies 8-4 Saturday night at Miller Park, teeing off on starter Tyler Anderson for six runs in the first inning, highlighted by Travis Shaw’s grand slam on Anderson’s elevated, 1-0 fastball.
“It’s just frustrating in general. Other than the (first inning) I thought I had a pretty good game,” said Anderson, who lost for the first time on the road this season and is now 1-2 with an 8.59 ERA in three career starts at Miller Park.
It was Colorado’s fourth consecutive loss and it fell to 1-5 on its early-August road trip to the Midwest. Prior to the trip, the Rockies had just five losses in their previous 24 games.
Colorado never quit. In fact, it forced the Brewers to bring in closer Josh Hader in the ninth inning with two outs and the bases loaded. The all-star left-hander got Charlie Blackmon to pop out to second to end the game.
“This team fights, you saw it all night,” manager Bud Black said. “It’s no surprise to me and it shouldn’t be a surprise to everybody who watches us play every night. We had a tough first inning and we couldn’t climb all the way back.”
Trevor Story pounded out two home runs — his second long ball coming in the ninth — and he drove in all four runs for Colorado. Story has 23 home runs, one shy of the 24 he hit last season and four short of the 27 he launched as a rookie in 2016.
“With Trev, we are seeing great strides over the last few months in the approach,” Black said. “He’s going to continue to be a really good player in this league and Rockies fans will be really excited about the future for Trev.”
After losing two consecutive games in walk-off fashion — at St. Louis Thursday afternoon and here in Milwaukee on Friday night — the Rockies were in need of a strong start from Anderson. But the left-hander, who has had a mostly solid season, couldn’t deliver. He departed the mound after just four innings. Anderson’s line: seven runs allowed on seven hits — including three home runs — with three walks and four strikeouts.
Milwaukee starter Freddy Peralta, who dominated the Rockies in his major-league debut on Mother’s Day at Coors Field when he struck out 13, was excellent again. He allowed two runs on two hits and struck out eight over six innings, improving to 5-2.
“This fella’s fastball has, even if it’s not overpowering velocity, some life to it in the strike zone,” Black said. “It gets on you and it has some carry to hit. We just haven’t seemed to be able to solve this fella in two starts.”
Peralta’s only rough inning was the fourth. Carlos Gonzalez drew a one-out walk, setting up Trevor Story’s monster two-run home run to right-center field. Story’s rocket traveled 435 feet and came off his bat at 107.5 mph. His second home run was a two-run shot off Matt Albers, again driving in Gonzalez. Story has batted .381 (8-for-21) with six home runs and 14 RBIs in six games vs. the Brewers this season.
Anderson’s first inning was a nightmare: one-out single by Christian Yelich; walk to Jesus Aguilar; single by Jonathan Schoop; RBI single by Ryan Braun; Shaw’s grand slam; and a solo home run by Hernan Perez. Game, set and match.
Regarding the grand slam, Anderson said he just missed his spot.
“We were trying to go fastball in and we were looking for a double play ground ball — just roll it over,” Anderson said. “It was just on the inside edge, more off the plate than on, and he just put a good swing on it.”
Saturday marked Anderson’s shortest start of the season, not counting his game in Miami on April 27 when he left the game with one out in the second inning due to light-headedness.
The Rockies will look to avoid a three-game sweep Sunday afternoon at Miller Park. The Brewers have won seven of their last eight games vs. the Rockies.
