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Gonzalez lifts Brewers past Rockies

Apr 22, 2012 - 4:00 AM Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Alex Gonzalez hit a three-run homer to cap a six-run seventh inning Saturday and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Colorado Rockies, 9-4.

Gonzalez had three hits and four RBI while Ryan Braun belted a solo homer and knocked in two runs for the Brewers, who bounced back from a ninth-inning loss in the opener of this three-game series Friday to snap a two-game slide.

Jose Veras (2-0) pitched a perfect seventh for the win, while Esmil Rogers (0-1) took the loss in 1 1/3 innings.

Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton hit solo homers for the Rockies, who had a three-game winning streak snapped.

The Brewers broke open a 3-3 game in the seventh, sparked by Jonathan Lucroy's leadoff single. He went to third on a passed ball and wild pitch and scored on Rickie Weeks' triple. Carlos Gomez added an RBI single, Braun hit a triple to score a run and Gonzalez's third homer of the season made it 9-3.

"We were involved in another very good game tonight," said Rockies manager Jim Tracy. "But we didn't pitch well in the seventh inning. They had some big hits with two strikes and made us pay. We couldn't stop them."

Rockies starter Drew Pomeranz retired the first 12 Milwaukee batters he faced, taking a perfect game into the fifth before putting four straight hitters on base.

Brewers starter Marco Estrada was also good early, striking out the side in the first inning and retiring the first six batters he faced before giving up a leadoff double to Wilin Rosario in the third.

Estrada filled in for Chris Narveson, who went on the disabled list Friday with a torn rotator cuff, and fanned nine while allowing two hits and no walks.

"He gave us a lot of innings with a lot of zeroes," said Brewers manager Ron Roenicke. "His fastball today was really lively and he had some giddyup on it. He had good off-speed stuff but his fastball was really the key."

Tulowitzki worked a 3-2 count against Estrada in the fourth and hit a fastball for his second homer of the season and a 1-0 Rockies lead.

Aramis Ramirez drew a leadoff walk in the fifth for Milwaukee, went to third on Corey Hart's ground-rule double and scored on a passed ball. Gonzalez followed with a double to make it 2-1, but Pomeranz escaped further trouble despite walking two batters.

Manny Parra started the sixth inning for Milwaukee and the Rockies scored two runs to take the lead. Eric Young walked, stole second base, went to third on Marco Scutaro's single and scored when Dexter Fowler grounded into a force out. Later, Tulowitzki hit an RBI single off Mike McClendon to make it 3-2.

Braun knocked Rogers' 2-0 pitch to center field leading off the sixth for his second homer of the season to tie the game at 3-3.

Game Notes

Colorado reliever Josh Roenicke, who pitched the ninth, is the nephew of Ron Roenicke...Milwaukee is 2-3 on a nine-game homestand...Pomeranz struck out six and gave up two hits and three walks.