Brewers 6, Rockies 3: Aguilar's blast saves the day

DENVER - It had been a long time coming for Jesús Aguilar.

Mired in a 3-for-27 slump, the Milwaukee Brewers' backup first baseman snapped out in a big way on Saturday night.

He hammered a clutch two-out, two-run, pinch-hit home run off all-star closer Greg Holland in the top of the ninth as the Brewers went on to beat the Colorado Rockies, 6-3, at Coors Field.

"From our end, it was a great game," said manager Craig Counsell. "There were a lot of things happening. They made a nice little comeback and we did a nice job battling to get a couple runs on the board.

"Jesús Aguilar, to me, that was just a sensational at-bat. He saw six sliders, and he finally got one he could do something with. Just a great at-bat in a really big spot."

The 449-foot shot to straightaway center came just in the nick of time for a Milwaukee team that had produced exactly two singles – one of which came from rookie starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff – since the third inning.

Keon Broxton got things started when he was plunked in the elbow on an 0-2 pitch. He moved to second on a groundout by Orlando Arcia, which brought Aguilar to the plate batting in the pitcher's spot.

Aguilar worked a full count from Holland before sending an 86-mph slider 449 feet out to straightaway center field to make it 5-3. It was the 12th homer for Aguilar, who had played in just one game in the last week but is hitting .304 on the season as a pinch-hitter.

"On our scouting report, we have that he throws a lot of off-speed," said Aguilar through translator Carlos Brizuela. "I just went up there looking for one that I could do something with.

"It’s been all about my routine, and the days I’m not playing just keeping my routine the same."

Counsell said the opportunity came down to Aguilar and Eric Sogard, with bench coach Pat Murphy pushing for the slugger despite Sogard being a left-handed hitter.

"That’s been his job, that’s been the at-bat we’ve asked him to take and he’s come through in that at-bat," Counsell said of Aguilar. "He’s come through in the big spots.

"I’ll give Murph a lot of credit because the debate was Sogard or Jesús right there, and we thought the breaking ball was going to come and Jesús was eventually going to get a breaking ball he could hit."

Eric Thames followed with a walk, stole second and scored on a Neil Walker single to make it 6-3. Corey Knebel pitched a scoreless ninth for his 25th save.

Woodruff was given a 3-0 lead with which to work in the third, and it was he who started the inning off with his first major-league hit – a single to center.

BOX SCORE:Brewers 6, Rockies 3

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Thames, up next, lined a perfectly placed shot to the gap in right-center that split centerfielder Charlie Blackmon and rightfielder Carlos González and rolled to the wall. Woodruff scored and Thames wound up with a stand-up triple.

After Walker flew out, Ryan Braun drove in Thames with a sacrifice fly to center. Then Travis Shaw followed with a solo homer to right-center off Chad Bettis, tying Thames for the team lead with 27.

Colorado cut into the lead in the fourth on the strength of three singles, the third of which ex-Brewer Jonathan Lucroy dunked into center to drive in another ex-Brewer, Gerardo Parra. That made it 3-1.

Woodruff buckled down at that point and struck out Trevor Story and Bettis to keep the Rockies from building any more momentum.

It wound up being a two-out walk to Nolan Arenado in the fifth that ended Woodruff's night at just 81 pitches. With Parra due up it was left-hander Josh Hader's spot, and he ultimately needed only two pitches to get Parra to foul out to end the fifth.

In 4 2/3 innings, Woodruff allowed five hits and three walks while striking out four. The right-hander threw a total of 81 pitches.

"We’re trying to win. I hope he understands that," Counsell joked when asked if Woodruff understood why he was lifted so early.

"This is how we’ve used Josh. With what Josh is, this is the best way for us to deploy him and make him a weapon. And he’s been a big weapon for us in games like this."

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With Chase Anderson scheduled to come off the disabled list and start Sunday's series finale, it's likely Woodruff who will be optioned to Class AAA Colorado Springs to make room for him on the roster.

But considering how well he's pitched in his three starts – he went 1-1 with a 1.62 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings – Woodruff will be back at some point.

"He’s done a really nice job," Counsell said. "He’s certainly opened our eyes and he’s someone that’s going to be in the mix here as we get into September."

Woodruff, who's already battled through a nearly six-week stint on the DL after straining his hamstring a half-hour prior to what should have been his major-league debut on June 13, is prepared for whatever comes.

"If that happens, so be it," he said. "You just go down and try to get better and try to come back as quick as you can to help the team win."

Milwaukee's bats went silent after the three-run third, managing only a pair of singles from the fourth through the seventh against Bettis.

Hader surrendered an RBI single to Blackmon in the seventh as Colorado pulled to within 3-2, then D.J. LeMahieu's RBI single off Jacob Barnes one batter later tied it at 3-3.

All-star Pat Neshek and Anthony Swarzak (2-0) then traded scoreless eighth innings.

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE

» With Domingo Santana and Broxton each hitting their 20th homer of the season Friday, the Brewers now have four players with at least 20 for the first time since 2012 when Braun (41), Corey Hart (30), Aramis Ramirez (27) and Rickie Weeks (21) accomplished the feat.

Santana and Broxton are tied for third on the team behind Thames and Shaw, who have 27 apiece. The 20 homers for Broxton are especially noteworthy considering the extreme peaks and valleys he's experienced this season, culminating in his seven-game demotion to Class AAA Colorado Springs late last month.

"It’s very satisfying," said Broxton, who'd hit four homers in three games coming into Saturday. "If you would have asked me in April if I thought I was going to have 20 home runs, I probably would have said, ‘No way.’

"But that’s the nature of the game. You keep battling and grind it out, and sometimes you come out on top."

The Brewers have had five players hit 20 or more homers five times in franchise history, most recently in 2010. They currently have eight players with double-digit homers, tying a franchise record.

STAT SHEET

» The pinch-hit HR was the third of the season for Aguilar, tied for the most in the majors and second-most in Brewers history with Gabe Gross (2006). Bob Hamelin holds the franchise record with four in 1998. 

» Shaw's 27 homers as a third baseman tie Aramis Ramirez (2012) for second-most in club history. Braun holds the record with 34 in 2007, his rookie year.

TAKEAWAY

These were the kinds of games the Brewers weren't able to pull out during their post all-star break slump. Aguilar delivered a huge at-bat when it was needed, Walker padded the lead and Milwaukee tied the series as a result.

RECORD

This year: 64-60 (34-30 home; 29-30 away)

Last year: 54-70

NEXT GAME

Sunday: Brewers at Rockies, 2:10 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Chase Anderson (6-2, 2.89) vs. Colorado LHP Kyle Freeland (11-7, 3.74) TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.