Cron grand slam leads Rockies past Brewers

C.J. Cron turned what was expected to be a tough game against Milwaukee Brewers ace Brandon Woodruff into an immediate laugher after hitting a first-inning grand slam to right. Garrett Hampson immediately followed with a home run to left, and by the time German Marquez took the mound for the second inning, he was sitting on a 5-0 lead.

While the five runs were all that Woodruff surrendered in his five-inning outing, they were all Marquez needed, as the Colorado Rockies’ ace shut the “Brew Crew” out in his six innings of work, allowing only one hit in the process. Marquez did leave with cramping in his back, but manager Bud Black didn’t believe it was serious, noting, “Could be dehydration, I’m not sure. But German’s had a little bit of history of this.”

The game was defensively sloppy, as the teams combined for seven errors, but Cron’s offense made up for the Rockies’ struggles afield. Cron’s second hit of the game was a line-drive double to left that was hit even harder than his grand slam; the ball had plenty of power, and would have been an easy home run if only the left-field fence would have back far enough to allow the ball to rise over it.

After their 7-3 win on Thursday, Cron’s hitting has been a major part of the Rockies’ four-game winning streak, which equals their season-best. Cron has now hit three home runs over those last four games following a career-long 21-game streak without one. “I don’t think I’ve been hitting as many home runs or driving the ball as much as I need to be in the middle of the order,” Cron said. “So to get a few here on the homestand has been nice. It felt good. I’m glad to contribute.”

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NEXT UP: Rockies (29-41, 4th in NL West) vs. Brewers (38-31, 2nd in NL Central), Friday, Jun. 18 at 6:40 pm. COL: Antonio Senzatela (2-7, 4.86 ERA) vs. MIL: Corbin Burnes (3-4, 2.27 ERA).

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NOTES:
• SP German Marquez seems to be tuning his game in nicely. In five of his last six starts, Marquez has allowed one run or less, while throwing six or more innings in each of them.

• RP Mychal Givens, who’s become an integral part of the Rockies’ bullpen, was placed on the 10-day IL with a strained lower back. Givens (2-2, 278 ERA) isn’t expected to be out long. “He was able to work an inning a couple days ago, but it just got to a point where it was nagging, and I think the medical team and Mychal felt it was probably best to put him on the IL and let it quiet down,” manager Bud Black said. “Let’s get rid of this, and when he comes back, there’ll be no issue.”

• RP Justin Lawrence, who has an 8.44 ERA in 5 1/3 inning with the Rockies this season, was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to take injured RP Mychal Givens’ place on the roster.

• USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that the Rockies and their assistant GM, Jon Weil, had agreed on a “mutual parting.” Weil has been with the Rockies for 16 seasons, and the timing of the change — only weeks before major trades of SS Trevor Story and SP Jon Gray are expected to occur — is curious at best.

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THE FINAL WORD: “I mean, we’ve got to win somewhere, right?” — C.J. Cron, on the Rockies’ 24 home wins. That’s tied for the most in the National League with the Cubs.

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STARTING LINEUP:
LF Raimel Tapia
CF Yonathan Daza
RF Charlie Blackmon
SS Trevor Story
3B Ryan McMahon
1B C.J. Cron
2B Garrett Hampson
C Edwin Diaz
SP German Marquez

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INJURY WATCH:

• RP Mychal Givens (strained lower back) was placed on the 10-day IL on Jun. 17.

• SP Jon Gray (strained right forearm) left his Jun. 4 start and was placed on the 10-day IL. A subsequent MRI showed no significant damage, manger Bud Black said that Gray would throw a bullpen session on Jun. 17.

• UTIL Chris Owings (left thumb surgery) was placed on the 60-day IL in mid-April and will likely be out until the All-Star break. He started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque on Jun. 14.

• 1B Matt Adams (right elbow soreness) was injured during the Jun. 8 game and was placed on the 10-day IL on Jun. 9.

• RP Jordan Sheffield (torn right lat) was injured on Jun. 3 and was placed on the 10-day IL. He is expected to miss at least two months.

• RP Ben Bowden (strained left shoulder) was placed on the 10-day IL on May 16. He was removed from the list and optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on Jun. 1.

• RP Scott Oberg (blood clots) had surgery prior to the end of Spring Training. He was placed on the 60-day IL on Mar. 27 and his season is in doubt.

Shawn Drotar is the host of “The Fan Late Night with Shawn Drotar;” weeknights from 10:00 p.m. to midnight — only on 104.3 The Fan. Follow him on Twitter at @sdrotar.

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