Jake Cave breaks tie with 6th-inning homer, Rockies top Brewers 4-3

DENVER (AP) — Jake Cave hit his first home run of the season to snap a sixth-inning tie, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 on Thursday night to gain a split of the four-game series.

Charlie Blackmon had two hits, including a two-run double for the Rockies.

Cave homered off Tobias Myers (5-3), driving a 1-0 offering over the fence in straightaway center. It was his first home run since the Rockies acquired him late in spring training in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies.

“I get to check off that box, ‘Hey, I had a big league homer for the Colorado Rockies,’” Cave said. “You know, there’s a ton of kids that that’s their dream come true. That’s all they think about, is to be able to hit a big league homer, so I’ve done it now for my third team and you can’t take that away from me.”

Cave, who also has played for Minnesota and Philadelphia in a seven-year major league career, joined the Rockies to provide depth but has played frequently in the last six weeks due to injuries to outfielders Kris Bryant and Jordan Beck. His play has taken an upswing with the increased playing time.

“I’m playing a lot more now, so there’s a little more that can come with that,” Cave said. “I feel like I can get ready a little earlier in my (swing). I feel like I can see an offspeed pitch better. I feel like I can get on the heater better. Those are the types of things that come without you really having to think about it.” The Brewers trailed 3-0 but pulled within a run on Andruw Monasterio’s two-run single in the fourth inning off Cal Quantrill, who had walked the bases loaded around a flyout and a groundout. Anthony Molina (1-0) came on in relief to start the sixth and walked Rhys Hoskins ahead of Jackson Chourio’s tying RBI double.

Jalen Beeks got the last four outs for his seventh save.

“I love the way we compete every game,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “There was a ton of opportunities tonight. There were a couple of miscues defensively that cost us. It’s tough to have the intensity every night but we do keep it close.”

The Rockies put up the first three runs and Blackmon was at the center of the scoring. He singled off Myers to start the game, advanced to second on Ezequiel Tovar’s sacrifice and scored when Ryan McMahon doubled.

Blackmon added his two-out, two-run double in the second.

Quantrill allowed two runs on five hits in five innings and finished with two strikeouts and four walks.

He struck out Christian Yelich in the first inning for his 500th career strikeout, becoming the 16th Canadian player to reach the mark. The group includes his father, Paul Quantrill, who pitched in the majors for 14 years. “It’s cool,” Quantrill said. “I probably won’t be remembered as a strikeout pitcher but I think this year I’ve done a better job, and that’s certainly a milestone, and I’m proud of it. I think it’s a testament to kind of surviving the sport and continuing to adjust and get better and find ways to get guys out.”

Myers allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked one but his streak of five straight winning decisions came to an end.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: CF Brenton Doyle was not in Thursday’s starting lineup, sitting out because of tightness in his left calf. Doyle fouled a pitch off his calf during Wednesday’s night’s game against the Brewers. … INF Elehuris Montero has cleared waivers after being designated for assignment and the Rockies have outrighted him to Triple-A Albuquerque.

UP NEXT

Brewers: Head to Los Angeles to play a three-game series against the Dodgers. RHP Aaron Civale, who went 2-6 with a 5.07 ERA in 17 starts for Tampa Bay this season, was acquired by the Brewers in a trade Wednesday, and is slated to start Friday night’s opener against the Dodgers’ RHP Tyler Glasnow (8-5, 3.23 ERA).

Rockies: LHP Kyle Freeland (0-3, 7.94 ERA) will be making his third start since returning from a left elbow strain that sidelined him for two months. He’ll face LHP Cole Ragans (5-6, 3.33 ERA) Friday night in the first of a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals.

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

Milwaukee Brewers' Rhys Hoskins scores on a double hit by Jackson Chourio off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Anthony Molina in the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon fields a single off the bat of Milwaukee Brewers' Eric Haase in the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies third base coach Warren Schaeffer, left, congratulates Jake Cave, right, who circles the bases after hitting a solo home run off Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Tobias Myers in the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames, left, tags out Colorado Rockies' Ezequiel Tovar, right, whotries to steal second base to end the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Rob Zastryzny works against the Colorado Rockies in the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Jalen Beeks works against the Milwaukee Brewers in the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, left, congratulates right fielder Jake Cave after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers in a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies' Jake Cave, left, celebrates with third base coach Warren Schaeffer as Cave rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Tobias Myers in the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Fireworks light up the sky over Coors Field to mark the Independence Day holiday after the Colorado Rockies defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in a baseball game Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden, in a letter to congressional Democrats, stood firm against calls for him to drop his candidacy and called for an end to the intraparty drama that has torn apart Democrats since his dismal public debate performance.

Biden's efforts to shore up a deeply anxious Democratic Party came Monday as lawmakers returned to Washington confronting a choice: Decide whether to work to revive his campaign or try to edge out the party leader, a make-or-break time for his reelection and their own political futures.

Biden wrote in the two-page letter that “the question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it’s time for it to end.” He stressed that the party has “one job,” which is to defeat presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in November.

“We have 42 days to the Democratic Convention and 119 days to the general election,” Biden said in the letter, distributed by his reelection campaign. “Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us. It’s time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump.”

Anxiety is running high as top-ranking Democratic lawmakers are joining calls for Biden to step aside despite his defiance. At the same time, some of the president’s most staunch supporters are redoubling the fight for Biden’s presidency, insisting there’s no one better to beat Trump in what many see as among the most important elections of a lifetime.

Biden followed up the letter with a phone interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” show, on which he insisted that “average Democrats” want him to stay in the race and said he was “frustrated” by the calls from party officials for him to step aside.

“They’re big names, but I don’t care what those big names think,” Biden said.

He threw the gauntlet at his critics, saying if they’re serious they ought to “announce for president, challenge me at the convention” or rally behind him against Trump.

Democratic voters are split on whether Biden should remain the Democratic Party’s nominee for president, or whether there should be a different Democratic nominee, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll.

As lawmakers weigh whether Biden should stay or go, there appear to be no easy answers.

It’s a tenuous and highly volatile juncture for the president’s party. Democrats who have worked alongside Biden for years — if not decades — and cherished his life's work on policy priorities are now entertaining uncomfortable questions about his political future. And it's unfolding as Biden hosts world leaders for the NATO summit this week in Washington.

Time is not on their side, almost a month from the Democratic National Convention and just a week before Republicans gather in Milwaukee to renominate Trump as their presidential pick. Many Democrats are arguing the attention needs to be focused not on Biden but on the former president's felony conviction in the hush money case and pending federal charges in his effort to overturn the 2020 election.

It's what Biden himself might call an inflection point. As he defiantly says he will only step aside if the Lord almighty comes and tells him to, Democrats in the House and Senate are deciding how hard they want to fight the president to change his course, or if they want to change course at all.

In an effort to “get on the same page,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries is convening lawmakers for private meetings before he shows his own preference, according to a person familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it. He planned to gather on Monday some Democrats whose bids for reelection are most vulnerable.

A private call Sunday including some 15 top House committee members exposed the deepening divide as at least four more Democrats — Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state and Rep. Mark Takano of California — privately said Biden should step aside.

Nadler, as one of the more senior members on the call, was the first person to say that Biden should step aside, according to a person familiar with the call who was granted anonymity to discuss it. He did so aware of his seniority and that it would allow others to join him.

Many others on the call raised concerns about Biden’s capability and chance of winning reelection, even if they stopped short of saying Biden should step out of the race.

Still other members, including Rep. Maxine Waters of California and Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia, both leaders in the Congressional Black Caucus, spoke forcefully in support of Biden, as did Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the powerful Ways and Means Committee.

And several lawmakers appeared frustrated that leadership was not providing direction or a path forward, according to people familiar with the call. One Democratic lawmaker said regardless of the decision, the situation has to “end now,” one of the people said.

Neal said afterward that the bottom line is Biden beat Trump in 2020 and “he’ll do it again in November.”

The upheaval also is testing a new generation of leaders, headed by Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Both New Yorkers have refrained from publicly directing lawmakers on a path forward as they balance diverse opinions in their ranks.

Behind the scenes is Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who continues to field calls from lawmakers seeking advice about the situation, and is widely viewed as the one to watch for any ultimate decision on Biden's future because of her proximity to the president and vote-counting skills in party politics.

Pelosi spoke up last week, saying Biden's debate performance raised “legitimate” questions he needed to answer, but she has remained supportive of the president. And Biden called her last week when he reached out to other party leaders.

When Biden's prime-time ABC interview on Friday appeared to do little to calm worried Democrats, and some said made the situation worse, Pelosi stepped forward to publicly praise Biden on social media as a “great President who continues to deliver for America’s kitchen table.” She added, "and we're not done yet!”

Schumer has kept a lower profile throughout the ordeal but will convene Democratic senators Tuesday for their weekly lunch when senators are certain to air many views.

One Democrat, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, had intended to gather senators Monday to discuss Biden privately, but a person familiar with his thinking said those conversations will take place in Tuesday’s regular caucus luncheon with all Democratic senators.

Another Democrat, Sen. Alex Padilla of California, said it was “time to quit the hand-wringing and get back to door knocking.”

Padilla spoke with Biden over the weekend, and urged his campaign to “let Joe be Joe.”

“Given the debate, I think the campaign has no choice,” Padilla said Sunday, explaining that Biden needs to hold town halls and unscripted events to show voters “the Joe Biden I know, and that most people in American have come to grow and love.”

While some deep-pocketed donors may be showing discomfort, strategists working on House and Senate races said they posted record fundraising as donors view congressional Democrats as a “firewall” and last line of defense against Trump.

House Democrats have had some of their better fundraising days yet, including a $3 million haul last Friday night after the debate at an event with former President Barack Obama and Jeffries in New York City. That’s on top of $1.3 million that rolled into the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee during the debate and its immediate aftermath.

Senate Democrats are also seeing a “surge” of support, according to a national Democrat with knowledge of Senate races.

As Democratic candidates campaign alongside Biden, the advice has been to focus on building their own brands and amplifying the way the work that’s done in Congress affects their local districts.

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Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri, Kevin Freking, Seung Min Kim and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

President Joe Biden smiles as he is asked questions by members of the media as he and first lady Jill Biden return on Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on Sunday, July 7, 2024, after attending events in Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

President Joe Biden attends a church service at Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ, Sunday, July 7, 2024, in Philadelphia (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)