Schunk hits first big league homer, Freeland goes 6 innings and Rockies beat Marlins 8-2

DENVER (AP) — Kyle Freeland went six innings, Aaron Schunk hit his first major league home run and the Rockies took advantage of four Marlins errors to beat Miami 8-2 on Wednesday night.

Nolan Jones hit a pair of RBI singles and Drew Romo added two hits and an RBI for Colorado. Ezequiel Tovar added a two-run double in the bottom of the eighth.

Derek Hill homered for Miami, which fell to 6-15 in its last 21 games.

Freeland (4-6) allowed two runs on six hits and he struck out five with a walk in his 200th career appearance. After surrendering a homer to Hill in the second, he fanned Hill in the fourth for his third of the night and 800th of his career, ranking fourth in franchise history.

Freeland also earned his 59th career win, snapping a tie with Jason Jennings for fifth most in club history.

With the scored tied at 2-all going into the bottom of the fifth, Schunk connected on the first pitch he saw from Max Meyer, sending it 429 feet into the left-field bleachers.

Colorado scored three more in the sixth, with an assist from the third of Miami's four errors. Jones hit his second RBI single in the inning then came around to score when shortstop Otto Lopez threw wide of catcher Nick Fortes and the ball rolled to the backstop.

Meyer (3-4) went five-plus innings and allowed five hits and five runs, three earned. He walked four and struck out six.

The teams traded runs over the first four innings, including an unearned run by Colorado that came around due to a pair of errors. Cristian Pache mishandled Romo’s third-inning single to center, allowing Romo to advance to second. He scored when Meyer’s errant pickoff throw careened into right-center field.

Hill connected for a home run leading off the second.

ROSTER MOVES

Marlins: A day after lasting a career-low 1 1/3 innings in Miami’s 9-8 win, RHP Roddery Muñoz was optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville. Also optioned to Jacksonville was LHP Jonathan Bermúdez. RHP Xzavion Curry and LHP Austin Kitchen were recalled from Jacksonville to fill the roster vacancies. Baltimore claimed OF Forrest Wall off waivers from Miami.

UP NEXT

Marlins RHP Valente Bellozo (2-2, 3.35 ERA) is set to make his eighth career start in Thursday’s series finale. The Rockies counter with Bradley Blaylock (1-0, 3.06 ERA), who earned his first career win in his last outing at the New York Yankees.

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

Miami Marlins catcher Nick Fortes, front, pursues an errant throw from shortstop Otto Lopez as Colorado Rockies' Michael Toglia, far right, scores in the sixth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Miami Marlins catcher Nick Fortes, front, turns to put a late tag on Colorado Rockies' Nolan Jones as he scores on a throwing error in the sixth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Miami Marlins relief pitcher Austin Kitchen works against the Colorado Rockies in the sixth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Miami Marlins relief pitcher George Soriano works against the Colorado Rockies in the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies' Ezequiel Tovar follows the flight of his double to drive in two runs off Miami Marlins relief pitcher George Soriano in the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies' Aaron Schunk, center, is congratulated by teammates Nolan Jones, left, and Michael Toglia after hitting his first home run of the major leagues, a solo shot off Miami Marlins starting pitcher Max Meyer, in the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies' Aaron Schunk looks on as he returns to the dugout after hitting his first major league home run, a solo shot off Miami Marlins starting pitcher Max Meyer, in the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

PHOENIX (AP) — Rhys Hoskins hit a two-run homer, Freddy Peralta pitched five effective innings and the Milwaukee Brewers increased their NL Central lead with a 2-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.

Hoskins hit his 24th homer off Eduardo Rodriguez (2-3) in the fourth inning and five Milwaukee pitchers shut down baseball’s highest-scoring offense. Peralta (11-8) allowed a run on six hits and Devin Williams worked a perfect ninth for his 12th save in 13 opportunities.

The Brewers extended their NL Central lead to 10 games after the Chicago Cubs lost 9-5 to Colorado.

“Freddy wasn’t his best self, but he bobbed and weaved, gave us five,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “We got some big outs at the end. The bullpen was really good.”

Arizona was limited to six hits to drop into a tie with San Diego for the top NL wild-card spot. The Diamondbacks remain five games back of Los Angeles in the NL West following the Dodgers' 6-2 loss to Atlanta.

“Ww built some innings, but we just couldn't get that big hit,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “We couldn't get into that space where we had the slug that broke the game open.”

Both starters were sharp.

Peralta walked two in the first inning and gave up a run on Pavin Smith’s sacrifice fly and worked around traffic the rest of his outing. The right-hander had five strikeouts and four walks in his second straight season with 30 starts.

“My goal from the begining was to put up zeroes, whether it was four innings or seven,” Peralta said. “I know the guys behind me are going to do it — our bullpen is great.”

Rodriguez struck out seven through the first three innings before Hoskins hit a two-run homer off the base of the second deck in the fourth. It was the only two runs the left-hander allowed on five hits in five innings, with seven strikeouts and three walks.

“I felt pretty good. The only pitch I felt I missed was a sinker and when you miss a pitch, you pay for it,” Rodriguez said. “The last three or four games I've missed a pitch to the wrong guy and paid for it.”

The Brewers helped Rodriguez with shoddy baserunning.

Jackson Chourio got picked off first by Rodriguez in the third inning and a throw behind Garrett Mitchell by Arizona catcher Jose Herrera led to a forceout at third after a rundown.

“Those guys don’t have a full year in the major leagues and we’re an aggressive team, so it’s going to happen,” Murphy said.

TRAINER'S TABLE

Diamondbacks: C Gabriel Moreno (groin) is expected to be activated from the injured list early next week. ... OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (left calf) also could be back in the lineup later in the week.

UP NEXT

Brewers RHP Tobias Myers (7-5, 2.93 ERA) was set to face RHP Brandon Pfaadt (9-8, 4.42) on Saturday.

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

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Freddy Peralta throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning during a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez throws against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning during a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Milwaukee Brewers' Rhys Hoskins (12) celebrates with teammates after hitting a two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fourth inning during a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio hits a double against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning during a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Milwaukee Brewers third base Joey Ortiz, left, tags out Arizona Diamondbacks' Christian Walker trying to advance in the third inning during a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)