By Brent New, Associated Press
Kyle Freeland pitched 6 1/3 effective innings, Nolan Arenado drove in three runs and the Colorado Rockies beat the Cleveland Indians 8-1 on Wednesday for their fourth straight win.
Charlie Blackmon, the reigning National League Player of the Month, added two RBIs for the Rockies, who lead the NL with 38 wins. Ian Desmond had three hits and scored two runs.
Freeland (7-3) allowed one run and six hits, struck out five and walked none while lowering his ERA to 3.34. The Denver native has turned in a quality start in eight of his last nine starts.
Cleveland right-hander Trevor Bauer (5-5), pitching on two days' rest, allowed four runs and tied his season high with five walks in 3 1/3 innings. He threw just 30 pitches Sunday against Kansas City before rain halted the game and ended his appearance.
Bauer walked three in the third and Arenado hit a two-run double. Blackmon added another bases-loaded double in the fourth, lifting Colorado to a 4-0 lead.
Arenado brought in Blackmon with a triple off the wall in the sixth.
The Indians looked to get back into the game in the seventh after Jose Ramirez homered and Edwin Encarnacion came off the bench with two runners in scoring position. But the 34-year-old slugger hit a weak grounder to the pitcher to end the inning.
Colorado outscored the Indians 19-4 in the two-game set. The Indians helped out, walking 14 batters.
