Brewers 5, Rockies 2: Cain ignites offense with lead-off homer, Chacin gets job done

DENVER – The Milwaukee Brewers were looking for a jump start to their sluggish offense and Lorenzo Cain supplied one immediately.

Cain slugged the first pitch of the game for a home run and right-hander Jhoulys Chacín did some good work in his old Coors Field stomping ground, sparking the Brewers to a 5-2 victory Thursday night over the Colorado Rockies.

The Brewers kept the pressure on Colorado starter German Márquez, beginning with Cain’s home run. Marquez allowed 12 hits and three walks over 4 2/3 innings, and he was fortunate to surrender only five runs while playing in all that traffic.

BOX SCORE:  Brewers 5, Rockies 2

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The Brewers scored three times in the fifth, with Hernán Pérez delivering the big hit with a two-run single. After Chacín kept the inning alive with a two-out infield hit, Cain capped the rally with a single off the glove of first baseman Ian Desmond.

Chacín, who pitched for Colorado from 2009-’14, went 5 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and two runs with five strikeouts. The Rockies scored on Trevor Story’s one-out homer in the second and again in the fifth when Desmond led off with a triple to left-center and scored on Orlando Arcia’s wild relay to third base.

The Rockies’ best chance to get back in the game came in the sixth inning when they loaded the bases against Chacín (walk), Boone Logan (single) and Matt Albers (walk). Albers quickly extinguished that rally by getting former Brewers outfielder Gerardo Parra to tap into a 5-2-3 double play.

The Brewers entered the game averaging only 3.7 runs per game, the third-lowest figure in the major leagues. But the Rockies also were challenged to score, averaging 3.95 runs per game, tied for the fifth-lowest output.

FIVE TAKEAWAYS

WHATEVER IT TAKES: Utility player Tyler Saladino was called up from Class AAA Colorado Springs on Wednesday when utility player Nick Franklin suffered a quadriceps strain in his first game up with the Brewers. Saladino tried to be as versatile as possible when playing for the Chicago White Sox but realizes that might be even more valuable in the NL, with double switches and other moves not made in the AL. Saladino played in 13 games for the Sky Sox – six at second base, five at shortstop and two at third base. “I’ve never caught but I did have a set of gear over there (with Chicago),” he said. “We kind of grew up playing wherever, so I actually caught a lot. I try to create as many options as possible.” Manager Craig Counsell said he expected Franklin to be out of action about two weeks. Saladino made his Brewers debut at second base in a double switch in the bottom of the sixth.

SECRET ADMIRER: Logan, who was activated from the DL before the game, kept tabs on the Brewers’ bullpen while on rehab assignment in the minors. In particular, he shook his head at the exploits of Josh Hader, who compiled 46 strikeouts in 22 innings while holding opponents to a .071 batting average. “I’ve been watching,” Logan said. “It’s pretty ridiculous. I don’t even know what to say about that. It’s better than playing a video game.” Logan also made his Brewers’ debut in the sixth but allowed a single to the only hitter (David Dahl) he faced.

LONG AND WINDING ROAD: After playing only five games at home, the Brewers have embarked on their second consecutive three-city swing, with stops coming in Arizona and Minnesota. The next trip in early June also will include three cities – Chicago (vs. the White Sox), Cleveland and Philadelphia. “It’s a quirk in the schedule that we’ve got three straight three-city trips," Counsell said. "Something I’ve never been a part of. We’ve played well on the road (11-7 entering Thursday). I’m happy with that. Hopefully, that’s a good start to the season.”

NOT UP TO THE CHALLENGE: The Rockies challenged the safe call on Christian Yelich’s infield single in the fourth inning, and the replays on the video board indicated they had good reason. The replay umps in New York thought otherwise, however, and Colorado was out of challenges for the rest of the game.

AN ACCURATE FORECAST: Albers had not pitched since last Friday but Counsell predicted before the game there was a good chance he would see action, and he wasn’t kidding. Albers went 1 1/3 scoreless innings, including the key bases-loaded double play in the sixth.

RECORD

This year: 22-16

Last year: 21-17

COMING UP

Brewers at Rockies, 7:40 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Brandon Woodruff (1-0, 3.86) vs. Colorado RHP Chad Bettis (4-1, 2.05). TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.