MILWAUKEE -- After going down early, 3-0 and 5-2, the Rockies needed offense if they wanted to come from behind to win. 

The lineup did its part by scoring nine runs on 13 hits. But the bullpen’s late collapse sealed Colorado’s 10-9 defeat to the Brewers at American Family Field on Sunday afternoon.

• Box score

“Even in a game like today, the offense came back,” Austin Gomber said about maintaining his composure coming out of the bullpen. “So I came in and we were down by a lot, but we ended up coming back. So there’s different ways that you can contribute to the team winning.”

It was another loss -- similar to Friday’s 6-5, 13-inning defeat -- that had a positive side: The Rockies’ bats came alive. Their nine runs were a season high for a road game, and that has usually been a recipe for success in Colorado’s history.

The Rockies have lost only 16 times when they’ve scored nine or more runs on the road in their 30-year history. The last time they did so was on Sept. 2, 2019, against the Dodgers, when they fell, 16-9.

“Friday night [was] hard-fought by both sides,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Today, hard-fought, grinder game. But that’s our guys. It doesn’t surprise me with this group.”

The Rockies also had opportunities to put more runs on the board in the late innings. They had runners on first and third with one out in the seventh after they had already scored twice in the inning. They had runners on first and second with nobody out in the eighth. But they were unable to capitalize on those chances.

“It was a hard-fought game, two good teams fighting each other,” Black said. “They got a couple big hits late. We had some opportunities late and didn’t cash in. So that’s the frustrating part.”

After offensive struggles hurt the Rockies’ chances of winning in the first two games of the series, their bats rebounded. Each of their nine starters reached base, and each one got on in the fifth through seventh innings when Colorado scored six runs.

Kris Bryant hit his fifth home run of the season in the fifth inning, and Elias Díaz hit a go-ahead two-run single in the seventh that could have sealed the victory.

“I think overall, good,” Black said of the team’s offensive approach. “We stressed [Eric] Lauer early, and he started making some pitches in the third and fourth that choked off some of our swings. But on balance, I thought throughout the day, pretty good at-bats.”

The comeback attempt started with Bryant and fed through the next couple of innings, which showed the importance that the 2016 National League MVP has on this roster.

After a 3-for-5 day with one home run, two doubles and two RBIs, Colorado’s outfielder is slashing an impressive .300/.367/.479 on the year with five home runs, 14 RBIs and 10 doubles.

“It helps our lineup, for sure,” Black said. “He’s a very good player. You look at what he’s done in his career. He’s a complete player. He’s doing what he does.”

Despite the loss, it was encouraging to see the Rockies hit on the road, something that hasn’t come easily to them this season. The team ranks in the bottom third in the Majors on the road in home runs (28), slugging percentage (.345) and runs (145).

It was also encouraging to see production from everyone, including Díaz, who went 2-for-5 with three RBIs. The catcher -- who signed a three-year, $14.5 million this past offseason -- has quietly been one of the team’s best hitters dating back to July 11.

Since then, Díaz is 12-for-24 with five doubles, one triple and seven RBIs. He has two hits in six straight games and is hitting .300 (27-for-90) over his last 27 games.

That’s the type of solid production that the team will need going forward, especially during this rough stretch of 15 straight games against teams above .500.

“He’s done his part,” Black said. “It takes all 26 guys, obviously, to consistently win games. And there’s gonna be times when all 26 are not hitting on all cylinders, but the more of the 26 that are doing their job, we’re gonna win. But as far as Díaz goes, he’s doing his part.”