Brewers beat Rockies, Yelich hits ninth home run of the season

Vinny Capra #18 and Christian Yelich #22 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate their win against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on July 03, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

William Contreras and Brice Turang had three hits apiece, Christian Yelich hit his ninth home run of the season and Colin Rea pitched seven shutout innings to lift the Milwaukee Brewers past the Colorado Rockies 3-0 on Wednesday night.

The Brewers’ win was their eighth in their past 10 games and extended their lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central Division to seven games.

Rea (8-2) gave up six hits while striking out four and walking none to earn his fourth win in his past five starts.

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Yelich had a pair of extra-base hits for Milwaukee, including a 446-foot solo home run in the first inning off a sinker from Colorado starter Dakota Hudson. The outing continued the 2018 National League MVP’s dominance against Hudson, who Yelich is seven of 14 with three home runs and nine walks against in 23 career plate appearances.

It was Contreras’ second three-hit performance in the past three games. He entered the night third in the National League in hits with 99.

The win capped off an eventful evening for Yelich and Contreras, who were unveiled Wednesday night as starters for the 2024 MLB All-Star Game.

Milwaukee played about half the game without shortstop Willy Adames, who was ejected in the top of the fifth inning after arguing a called third strike with umpire Mark Ripperger.

The loss was the seventh in the past nine games for the Rockies, who fell to a National League-worst 29-57, the worst 86-game start in franchise history.

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Hudson (2-12) took the loss after giving up seven hits and three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings, an appearance that ended immediately after he walked Garrett Mitchell with the bases loaded.

Colorado had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth with runners on first and second and two outs, but Ryan McMahon, the team’s home run leader, popped out to deep left field.

Brenton Doyle, Brendan Rodgers and Jake Cave each finished with two hits for the Rockies.