MILWAUKEE (AP) — Michael Toglia hit a three-run home run, Ryan Feltner struck out six over six innings of one-run ball and the Colorado Rockies won consecutive games for the first time since early August with a 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.
Feltner (2-10) held Milwaukee to a pair of hits while walking three for his first victory since April 10. The only blemish came in the third when Jake Bauers walked and scored on a base hit by Joey Ortiz.
Prior to Friday, he’d taken a no decision in five straight starts despite allowing more than three runs just once during that stretch.
“It’s no fun as a starting pitcher when you look at your record,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “It can be very, very tough. It can be demoralizing but he’s done a good job of keeping his chin up, his chest out.”
Brewers starter Frankie Montas (6-10) did not give up a hit through five innings. He’d allowed just two baserunners by way walks to Ryan McMahon and Toglia in the first and fourth innings, respectively, before Ezequiel Tovar’s one-out double in the sixth.
Ryan McMahon followed with a walk and after Brenton Doyle grounded out, Toglia sent Montas’ next offering — a 94 mph sinker — to center for his team-leading 23rd homer of the season.
“(Tovar’s double) made us exhale a little bit because Montas had us, we couldn’t solve his four pitches,” Black said. “Then the (McMahon) walk, then Toglia got a ball up in the zone and he barrelled it.”
Armed with a lead, Feltner came back out for the bottom of the inning and produced his best inning of the night, striking out the heart of Milwaukee’s lineup — William Contreras, Garrett Mitchell and Willy Adames.
“That homer from Toglia gave me a little boost of energy,” Feltner said. “I think it gave everybody a little boost of energy. That was a big swing and obviously the big moment change in the game. It was that way for me, as well. It gave me a little second wind to finish strong.”
Montas struck out 10 batters for the first time since joining the Brewers in a deadline deal with the Reds.
Aaron Ashby provided three scoreless innings of relief, striking out four. He’s yet to allow a run in four relief appearances since being recalled from Triple-A Nashville.
“Frankie was good and Ashby was tremendous,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.
The Brewers cut the lead to one with an unearned run in the seventh then brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate in the ninth against Tyler Kinley, who escaped the jam and earned his 10th save when pinch-runner Brewer Hicklen was thrown out trying to take third on Rhys Hoskins’ flyout to center.
“That was an amazing, incredible play to throw that guy out, to throw that ball on a line with velocity; a perfect throw,” Black said. “What a play.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: RHP Kyle Freeland (blister) will take his usual spot in the rotation Sunday against the Brewers, manager Bud Black said. The Rockies also expect RHP Cal Quantrill (right triceps inflammation) to return to the rotation in the coming days while RHP Victor Vodnik (right bicep inflammation) was set to make a minor league rehab start Friday for Double-A Hartford.
UP NEXT
RHP Tobias Myers (6-5, 3.00 ERA) starts for Milwaukee while LHP Ty Blach (3-7, 6.65) gets the ball for Colorado on Saturday.
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