DENVER -- Eugenio Suarez homered twice in a game for the first time in his career, Alfredo Simon pitched seven effective innings for his first win in nearly a month, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Colorado Rockies 11-4 on Thursday night.
Zack Cozart and Adam Duvall also homered for the Reds, who almost doubled their total of road wins this season (now seven) by taking three of four in the series. Jay Bruce tripled and doubled to drive in a pair of runs for Cincinnati.
Nolan Arenado, Carlos Gonzalez and Trevor Story homered for the Rockies, who finished a 2-5 homestand.
Suarez triggered the Reds' six-run fifth inning with his first homer of the night, a three-run shot on the first pitch from Chad Qualls, who had relieved Eddie Butler (2-3). Suarez added a solo drive off reliever Gonzalez Germen in the sixth for his fourth RBI, tying a career best.
Simon (2-5) allowed four runs and five hits, withstanding back-to-back homers by Gonzalez and Arenado to earn his first win since beating Milwaukee on May 5. Gonzalez has homered in six of his last eight games and Arenado connected for his 17th of the season, tops in the National League.
Simon was ejected from his last start Saturday against Milwaukee before he had a chance at a decision after hitting an opposing player with a pitch. After Simon plunked Mark Reynolds leading off the seventh this time, Story drove a 1-2 offering into the left-field bleachers for his 15th homer of the season.
Butler went four-plus innings and allowed eight runs on 11 hits, including homers by Cozart in the third and Duvall in the fourth.
Butler faced four batters in the fifth without getting an out, walking JoeyVottoand allowing a run-scoring double by Bruce and an RBI single by Duvall before being relieved by Qualls.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: RHP Homer Bailey (right elbow) is scheduled to throw off a mound this weekend for the first time since he had Tommy John surgery on May 8, 2015. ... 2B Brandon Phillips returned to the starting lineup after missing the previous two games with a sore left ankle. He was injured Sunday in Milwaukee when he slid into a wall while making a catch in foul territory.
Rockies: LHP Boone Logan (left shoulder inflammation) threw 20 pitches in a bullpen session. He is scheduled to throw one inning Saturday on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque. ... C Nick Hundley (strained left oblique) was scheduled to catch seven innings in the first game of a doubleheader and be the DH in the second game for Albuquerque.
UP NEXT
Reds: LHP Brandon Finnegan (1-4) seeks his first win since mid-April when he starts Friday night against Washington in the opener of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.
Rockies: LHP Chris Rusin (1-3), who has appeared in relief and in the rotation, will be looking for his first win as a starter this season when he takes the mound Friday night at San Diego.