DENVER (AP) — Jonathan Villar and Renato Nunez both homered and finished with three hits to lead the Baltimore Orioles to a 9-6 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night.
Nunez went deep for the fourth straight game and Pedro Severino had four hits to help Baltimore end a seven-game skid and overcome Nolan Arenado’s big night.
Arenado had three hits, including his 200th career home run, and drove in the first five runs for Colorado. Chris Iannetta also homered for the Rockies.
Baltimore’s bullpen has struggled lately but held Colorado to Iannetta’s solo shot over the last four innings to preserve the win for Andrew Cashner (5-2). Josh Lucas pitched the last three innings to earn his first save of the season.
Rockies starter Kyle Freeland (2-6) failed to pitch beyond the fourth inning for the second straight game and continued his rough start to the season. He won 17 games in 2018 but after starting this year with a win on opening day he is 1-6 and hasn’t recorded a victory in more than five weeks.
Things started badly for the left-hander. Baltimore scored twice in the first and led 3-1 after Nunez’s solo homer in the third. After Arenado’s three-run shot in the bottom of the third gave Colorado a 4-3 lead, Villar answered with a three-run homer of his own on a full count to put the Orioles ahead 7-4 in the fourth.
Arenado continued his hot stretch in May. He didn’t hit his first home run this season until April 14, in Colorado’s 12th game, but he has hit eight this month, including two Friday night. He has 14 to lead the Rockies.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: Charlie Blackmon was out of the lineup for the second straight game with a calf strain but manager Bud Black said the outfielder is making progress. “He went through some activity in the training room and weight room and our trainers are encouraged,” Black said. “No timetable but we’re all encouraged that Charlie’s feeling better and his activity level stepped up (Saturday).”
UP NEXT
Baltimore RHP David Hess (1-6, 6.75) is looking for his first win since April 1st when he goes against Rockies righty German Marquez (5-2, 3.38) in the final of the three-game series on Sunday.
