Colin Rea pitches 7 innings, Christian Yelich homers in the Brewers' 3-0 victory over the Rockies

DENVER (AP) — Colin Rea pitched seven innings, Christian Yelich homered and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Colorado Rockies 3-0 on Wednesday night.

“My delivery felt really good tonight,” Rea said. “It felt like timing was good. ... I felt like we were executing all night.”

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

“To come to Colorado and throw seven scoreless is a really remarkable feat,” Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said about Rea. “He was committed all day. You could see it. He made some great pitches, had a good plan and stuck with it.”

William Contreras and Brice Turang each had three hits to help the Brewers win for the eighth time in 10 games and extend their lead over St. Louis in the NL Central to seven games.

Yelich hit a 446-foot home run in the first inning off a sinker from Dakota Hudson (2-12). Yelich is 7 of 14 with three home runs and nine walks in 23 career plate appearances against Hudson.

“He’s a good hitter, but I left pitches over the middle of the plate," Hudson said.

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

The win capped an eventful evening for Yelich and Contreras, who were named starters for the All-Star Game.

Milwaukee shortstop Willy Adames was ejected in the top of the fifth after arguing a called third strike with umpire Mark Ripperger.

Colorado lost for the seventh time in nine games. The Rockies are an NL-worst 29-57, the worst 86-game start in franchise history.

Hudson gave 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 it in 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, with Yelich chasing the ball down and catching it near the wall.

“I clipped it a little bit,” McMahon said. "I still got some pretty good wood on it. I was hoping it got past them.”

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

“We couldn’t bunch them together," Colorado manager Bud Black said. "That’s been a little bit of our issue the entire season, just our run production.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: Placed INF Joey Ortiz (neck inflammation) on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to July 2. … Placed RHP Enoli Paredes (right forearm tendinitis) on the 15-day injured list.

Rockies: Recalled RHP Peter Lambert from Triple-A Albuquerque. … Optioned RHP Riley Pint to Triple-A Albuquerque.

UP NEXT

RHP Tobias Myers (5-2, 3.26 ERA) was set to start for Milwaukee against RHP Cal Quantrill (6-6, 3.78).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Christian Yelich tosses a ball to fans in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich follows the flight of his solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Dakota Hudson in the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies' Brendan Rodgers reacts after striking out against Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Colin Rea to end the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black, left, takes the ball from starting pitcher Dakota Hudson as he is pulled from the mound after walking Milwaukee Brewers' Garrett Mitchell to force in a run with the bases loaded in the fifth inning of a baseball gam, Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Milwaukee Brewers' Willy Adames, right, argues with home plate umpire Mark Ripperger after he ejected Adames for comments made after calling out Adames on strikes in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies shortstop Aaron Schunk, left, applies a late tag as Milwaukee Brewers' Sal Frelick advances from first to second base on a passed ball as second base umpire Brennan Miller, back, looks on in the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jake Bauers follows the flight of his RBI single off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Dakota Hudson in the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Colin Rea works against the Colorado Rockies in the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Milwaukee Brewers' Willy Adames, right, congratulates Christian Yelich after his solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Dakota Hudson in the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

SILVERSTONE, England (AP) — Mercedes driver George Russell narrowly beat teammate Lewis Hamilton to take pole position for the British Grand Prix on Saturday.

British drivers took the top three places at Silverstone, with McLaren's Lando Norris placing third ahead of Formula 1 championship leader Max Verstappen for Red Bull.

Russell is perfectly poised to aim for a second straight F1 win following his victory at the Austrian GP last weekend. Mercedes is showing signs of closing the gap in terms of speed, and team principal Toto Wolff clenched his fist after his drivers secured a 1-2.

“What a feeling. This is just mega,” Russell said. "The car at the moment is feeling so, so good. We are riding this wave and absolutely buzzing."

Hamilton just missed out on a record-extending 105th F1 pole by .171 seconds while Norris was .211 seconds behind Russell — who secured his second pole of the season and third of his career.

“Three Brits in the top three is incredible,” Hamilton said. “This is huge for us (Mercedes). The car felt great.”

Sergio Perez's poor run of form for Red Bull continued. He went off track at Copse corner and into the gravel during Q1 — the first part of qualifying — prompting team principal Christian Horner to shake his head. Perez's car was removed by a crane as the Mexican driver looked on.

When qualifying resumed dark clouds were forming over the 5.9-kilometer (3.7-mile) circuit.

Verstappen uttered an expletive over the team radio after momentarily sliding off track and riding over some gravel. He was way off the pace in Q1, which was led by Hamilton, and again in Q2, which Norris led.

Verstappen may have damaged the car floor when going over the gravel, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc failed to make it into Q3, the top 10 shootout and starts 11th.

Earlier Saturday, a rainy third session saw an early red flag when Alpine driver Pierre Gasly went into the gravel.

Russell led P3 narrowly ahead of Hamilton in a sign of things to come.

Norris led the two practices on Friday with Verstappen finishing out of the top three both times.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Nether Sergio Perez of Mexico during the third free practice at the Silverstone racetrack, Silverstone, England, Saturday, July 6, 2024. The British Formula One Grand Prix will be held on Sunday. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session at the Silverstone racetrack, Silverstone, England, Saturday, July 6, 2024. The British Formula One Grand Prix will be held on Sunday. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session at the Silverstone racetrack, Silverstone, England, Saturday, July 6, 2024. The British Formula One Grand Prix will be held on Sunday. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Mercedes driver George Russell of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session at the Silverstone racetrack, Silverstone, England, Saturday, July 6, 2024. The British Formula One Grand Prix will be held on Sunday. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)