Herrera’s late homer lifts Rockies to fourth straight win

The Colorado Rockies blew three leads but won their fourth straight game, beating the Houston Astros 8-6 when Jonathan Herrera, of all people, hit a two-run homer in the seventh. Rex Brothers pitched the ninth and earned his first save in the majors.

Herrera’s homer was his third of the season, the first two coming against the New York Mets. He had gone 156 at-bats since his last homer on May 12. The switch-hitting Herrera was batting left-handed when he connected against Fernando Rodriguez, who walked Seth Smith to open the seventh and retired Chris Iannetta on a fly to deep center before Herrera homered down the right-field line.

Smith hit a long homer in the fifth off starter Bud Norris. He hit Troy Tulowitzki with his first pitch of the inning, struck out Todd Helton and gave up a long homer to Smith, his 15th of the season. Smith’s homer went off a video panel on the facing of the third deck and traveled an estimated 478 feet.

Smith’s homer gave the Rockies a 5-3 lead, but Alex White, who pitched six innings in his Rockies debut, gave up a two-out double to Brian Bogusevic in the sixth, and Jimmy Paredes followed with a two-run homer to tie the game.

The Rockies got the lead for White in the sixth when Dexter Fowler led off with a single and reached second ahead of the throw by third baseman Paredes, who should have gone to first. Carlos Gonzalez followed with a run-scoring single to put the Rockies ahead 6-5.

Matt Belisle was unable to hold the lead. He gave up a pinch-hit ground-rule double to Jason Michaels with one out in the seventh, and Jordan Schafer followed with a run-scoring single.

White threw 86 pitches, 55 strikes and gave up seven hits and five runs. In addition to Paredes’ homer, White gave up a leadoff homer in the second to Carlos Lee. White gave up two runs in the third and four hits, a double and three singles, the last two being infield hits.

Rafael Betancourt had pitched three straight days, including Monday when manager Jim Tracy had to use three pitchers in the ninth to nail down a 9-5 win. So Tracy turned to Brothers. He walked Clint Barmes to open the ninth, struck out Humberto Quintero and gave up a single to pinch-hitter Matt Downs. But Brothers struck out pinch hitter Jason Bourgeois and got Jose Altuve to foul out to end the game and an 18-pitch inning.

Other highlights:

_ The Rockies last won four straight from June 14-18 _ two victories against the Padres and two against the Tigers, all at Coors Field. The Rockies last won five straight during their season-high eight-game winning streak from April 9-15.

_ Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to 11 games, tying his season high. That’s also the Rockies season high. Gonzalez, whose earlier 11-game hitting streak went from June 7-18, has gone 15-for-42 (.357) during his current streak with four doubles, six homers and 20 RBI in 11 games. Gonzalez has also driven in a run in a career-high eight consecutive games, the longest for a Rockies player since Vinny Castilla set the franchise record by driving in at least one run in 10 straight games April 14-25, 2004.

_ The Rockies have won three straight series for the first time since they won four straight from April 5-17.

_ Herrera is hitting .180 (22-for-122) at Coors Field and .293 (41-for-140) on the road. His two previous homers came on April 14, a three-run shot at Citi Field off Taylor Buchholz in the second game of a doubleheader, and on May 12, a solo shot off Jonathan Niese at Coors Field. With two RBI, Herrera had his first multi-RBI game since he drove in three runs April 14 with that homer against Buchholz.

_ The Rockies improved to 6-2 on the homestand that ends Wednesday and are 34-33 this season at Coors Field.

_ Belisle’s blown save was his sixth of the season and first since June 26.