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Cuddyer delivers in ninth as Rockies top Brewers

Apr 21, 2012 - 4:14 AM Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Michael Cuddyer came on as a pinch-hitter in the top of the ninth and delivered a go-ahead RBI single to propel the Rockies to a 4-3 victory over the Brewers in the first of three games at Miller Park on Friday.

It was 3-3 in the ninth when Jason Giambi led off the frame with a single and was lifted in favor of pinch-runner Eric Young. Young quickly moved to second on a throwing error from John Axford (0-1) before advancing to third on a sacrifice fly from Marco Scutaro.

Cuddyer then stepped to the plate in place of Dexter Fowler and smacked a 1-1 curveball back up the middle, scoring Young for the go-ahead run.

"I got a curveball up and I was just looking for a sacrifice fly," said Cuddyer about his go-ahead RBI. "It's nice to come through early for my new team."

Matt Belisle (1-0) fanned both Brewers he faced in the eighth to record the victory while Rafael Betancourt worked around a one-out double in the bottom of the ninth for his fourth save of the year.

Starter Jhoulys Chacin surrendered three runs on four hits with six strikeouts over seven innings for the Rockies, while Troy Tulowitzki had two hits and knocked in a run and Todd Helton added a solo shot. Colorado has now won three straight.

Norichika Aoki had two of Milwaukee's five hits, including his first major league home run, an inside-the-park homer in the fourth. Shaun Marcum lasted six innings in the start and allowed three runs on eight hits for the Brewers, who took two of three from the Dodgers earlier in the week.

Colorado used a two-out rally to strike in the top of the first, as Carlos Gonzalez ripped a single to right field and quickly swiped second. Tulowitzki followed with a double, plating Gonzalez for the early 1-0 lead.

The Rockies added another run in the fourth when Tulowitzki opened the frame with a single and Ramon Hernandez followed with a ground-rule double to left. After an intentional walk loaded bases, Chacin made the Brewers pay with a single to left. Tulowitzki scored on the play but Hernandez was thrown out at the plate for the final out of the frame.

Milwaukee got it's first hit of the game in grand fashion in the fourth, as Aoki scorched a line drive the other way that fell just under the glove of a diving Gonzalez in left, allowing Aoki to round the bases for the inside-the- park homer.

"I wasn't expecting to get a home run there," remarked Aoki through a translator. "I was just running as hard as I could."

Colorado tacked one on in the sixth as Helton crushed his second home run of the year into the seats in deep left-center field for a 3-1 edge.

Aoki's second hit of the game -- and the Brewer's second -- sparked a rally in the sixth as he legged out a one-out double before Ryan Braun was plunked and Aramis Ramirez struck out for the second out of the inning.

Corey Hart then kept the inning alive with a single to left field to score Aoki before Mat Gamel continued the two-out rally with a single back up the middle, scoring Braun from second to tie the game at 3-3.

Game Notes

Saturday's matchup will feature lefty Drew Pomeranz for Colorado against right-hander Marco Estrada for Milwaukee. Chris Narveson was slated to start for the Brewers, but was placed on the 15-day disabled list earlier on Friday with a tear in his left rotator cuff...The Brewers won six of nine versus the Rockies last season, winning four of five at home...Colorado went 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 men. Milwaukee finished 2- for-7 with RISP and left five on base.