MILWAUKEE _ A series that had seen plenty of offense over its first three games came to a close with an unexpected pitchers' duel Thursday afternoon at Miller Park.
The Milwaukee Brewers got a strong six innings from starter Chase Anderson and the Colorado Rockies a solid five innings from Antonio Senzatela, who was making his major-league debut.
In the end it was one mistake by Neftali Feliz that wound up making the difference, as Nolan Arenado homered three pitches into the ninth inning to beat the Brewers, 2-1.
The game got off to a tough start for the Brewers, with center fielder Keon Broxton having to leave the game in the second inning after being beaned by Senzatela.
The 93-mph fastball hit Broxton near his face, but it appeared that a protective face flap that he began utilizing in spring training saved him from serious harm. Broxton remained down for a couple minutes, with athletic trainer Dan Wright tending to a cut to his nose, before he headed off the field under his own power.
The Brewers didn't immediately offer an update on Broxton's condition afterward.
Colorado grabbed the lead in the third when ex-Brewer Mark Reynolds went down and sent a 91-mph fastball from Anderson just over the wall in right-center to make it 1-0.
It was the lone mistake on the afternoon by the right-hander, whose six-inning outing marked a season high for the Brewers. He allowed three hits and walked two to go along with four strikeouts.
Senzatela, meanwhile, looked like anything but a pitcher who'd pitched just seven games above A-ball coming into the season.
He induced a 4-6-3 double-play grounder from Domingo Santana to get out of a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the first inning, and then allowed only three baserunners without a hit over his final four innings. Senzatela also struck out six.
The Brewers finally got onto the board in the seventh, when Kirk Nieuwenhuis _ in the game as Broxton's replacement _ homered to right-center to tie the game at 1.
The deadlock lasted into the ninth, when Arenado launched an 0-2 pitch from Feliz out to left-center.
Ryan Braun pinch-hit with two outs in the ninth and flied out to deep right against Rockies closer Greg Holland as the Brewers dropped their first series of the season.
