DENVER -- The ninth-inning confrontation between Colorado Rockies closer Greg Holland and Milwaukee Brewers pinch hitter Jesus Aguilar was a succession of sliders.

Six of them, and with the count 3-2, Aguilar belted the last one an estimated 449 feet to left-center for a two-run homer that highlighted the three-run ninth that gave the Brewers a 6-3 win Saturday night.

Aguilar speaks through a translator. But when asked if he thought he might get a fastball from Holland, Aguilar shook his head and in English said, "Never."

Asked why, Aguilar, through the translator, said, "He throws a lot of offspeed, just looking for that."

The rally started when Holland (2-4) hit Keon Broxton in the back with an 0-2 fastball clocked at 95.6 mph with one out.

"It's painful," Broxton said, "but anytime you're 0-2 with a guy like that, it's OK to get hit by a pitch."

Broxton took second on a grounder, setting the stage for Aguilar, who is 14-for-46 with three home runs and 10 RBIs as a pinch hitter. He is tied for the most pinch-hit homers in the majors this season.

Holland said, "I threw him a few quality pitches at the bottom of the zone that were balls that he didn't offer at; 3-2 with first base open, I know it's a tie game but you can't throw a pitch, a hanging slider after he's already seen five. It was just bad execution on my part."

Holland then walked Eric Thames, who stole second and scored on a single by Neil Walker that ended Holland's outing. He had allowed three homers in 44 innings in his previous 46 appearances. But Holland has been scored upon in three of his past five games, allowing eight hits and nine runs in 4 1/3 innings in those outings and going 0-3 while elevating his ERA from 1.56 to 3.22.

"It's just one of those things where I've made a lot of mistakes," Holland said. "They've cost us. You get a fly ball in the infield or something, you still realize that you made a bad pitch but you got out of it. Recently I've been getting beat with some mistakes in the middle of the plate, and a lot of is due to not getting ahead, too."

Anthony Swarzak (2-0) pitched the eighth ahead of closer Corey Knebel, who earned his 25th save in 30 opportunities.

Despite their eighth loss in 12 games, the Rockies remained one game ahead of Arizona in the National League wild-card race. The Brewers are 3 1/2 behind the Diamondbacks.

Rockies starter Chad Bettis again pitched extremely well for the Rockies in his second start since recovering from cancer, again without figuring in the decision.

He pitched seven innings, just as he did Monday in his 2017 debut. But one inning was costly to Bettis. He gave up three runs -- all in the third -- and eight hits with one walk and six strikeouts in his efficient 92-pitch outing that included 64 strikes and nine outs on ground balls.

His scoreless streak to start the season ended at nine innings when Milwaukee scored on Thames' triple, Ryan Braun's sacrifice fly and Travis Shaw's 27th home run.

Bettis underwent surgery in November for testicular cancer. While fully participating in spring training in early March, Bettis learned the cancer had spread, forcing him to undergo nine weeks of chemotherapy.

Jonathan Lucroy singled home a run in the fourth, and Charlie Blackmon grounded a run-scoring single to left with one out in the seventh, cutting Milwaukee's lead to 3-2. The hit scored Trevor Story, who led off with a double, and finished left-hander Josh Hader, who came on after starter Brandon Woodruff gave up one run in 4 2/3 innings.

Blackmon stole second with Jacob Barnes pitching to DJ LeMahieu, who hit a soft single to center that scored Blackmon to tie the game. Nolan Arenado lined a single to right, sending LeMahieu to third. But the Rockies were unable to cash in a fourth run as Gerardo Parra struck out on three pitches, and Mark Reynolds flied to the edge of the warning track in left.

Two innings later, Aguilar stepped to the plate, only after Brewers manager Craig Counsell listened to bench coach Pat Murphy's suggestion to send up Aguilar to pinch hit rather than Eric Sogard, because Aguilar hits breaking pitches better. And with Thames on-deck and watching, Aguilar took a strike followed by two balls, fouled off a pitch, took ball three and then hit paydirt gainst Holland.

"He's nasty," Thames said, "so for us to do that against him is a huge, huge thing for a team."

NOTES: Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela will start Wednesday at Kansas City, taking the turn of Jeff Hoffman, who was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. ... Brewers RF Domingo Santana, who has 10 hits in his past 68 at-bats, was given a rest day. ... Brewers RHP Brandon Woodruff went 2-for-2 with two singles, his first hits in the majors. ... Brewers 3B Travis Shaw has hit 16 of his 27 home runs on the road.