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Mench comes through in a pinch, lifts Brewers

Jul 15, 2007 - 10:04 PM MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Kevin Mench picked a fine time to have some success as a pinch hitter for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Mench delivered a run-scoring triple in the bottom of the seventh inning that snapped a tie as the Brewers defeated the Colorado Rockies, 4-3, on Sunday at Miller Park.

Mench entered the game just 3-for-13 (.231) as a pinch hitter this season.

"It is something you've got to become accustomed to," Mench said of pinch hitting. "You just have to learn how to deal with it. As you go through it more and more, you learn how to handle the situations and just move forward."

Corey Hart and Jeff Suppan added run-scoring hits, and Suppan pitched six strong innings as the Brewers won their first series since sweeping the Houston Astros on June 25-27.

"The teams that win in the postseason are the teams that win the close games," Mench said. "I know we struggled a lot this season with (close) games, but today, we were fortunate to come out on top and get two in a row."

Geoff Jenkins led off the seventh inning with a double to right field off Rockies reliever Jeremy Affeldt (4-2).

"It was a huge hit by 'Menchie', but Jenkins got it going with a big double against a lefthanded pitcher," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "'Jenks' is a veteran who's done it before."

Mench then ripped the first pitch he saw into the right-field corner. Affeldt's next pitch skipped past catcher Chris Iannetta and rolled to the backstop allowing Mench to score and give the Brewers a 4-2 lead.

Matt Wise (3-1) pitched a scoreless seventh to pick up the win. After Derrick Turnbow allowed a run in the eighth, Francisco Cordero nailed down his major league-leading 28th save in the ninth.

"I just had to get a strikeout," Cordero said. "I went with my best pitch, the slider. It was working real well, so I went for (the strikeout)."

Brad Hawpe hit his 16th home run for the Rockies, who lost consecutive games after winning six of seven.

"We missed some opportunities with the bat today," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "We had chances where a big hit would have given us some distance."

Suppan, who had not allowed fewer than three runs in any of his previous 12 starts, surrendered two runs and five hits with three walks and five strikeouts in six innings. It was just the third time in eight starts he pitched past the fifth inning.

"To be honest, I didn't feel completely different," Suppan said. "I know the numbers and the outcome was better, but basically, every time I go out there, I try to focus on what pitch I'm throwing and where I'm throwing it and adjust after that. Today, I was able to stay out of some damage and contribute to a win."

Rockies starter Aaron Cook, who lost five of his previous six decisions, rebounded nicely from a 12-hit, five-run outing on July 8. He allowed two runs and four hits with four strikeouts in six innings.

"I didn't try to do too much," Cook said. "If I make quality pitches, I give myself an opportunity for good things to happen."

The Rockies took an early lead off Suppan in the third. Iannetta walked to lead off the frame, and with two outs, he scored on Kaz Matsui's double into the left field corner.

The Brewers scored a pair in the fifth off Cook as Suppan and Hart belted consecutive two-out, run-scoring singles to take a 2-1 lead.

Colorado tied the score in the seventh on Cory Sullivan's pinch-hit single.