MILWAUKEE -- Rockies manager Bud Black issued an assessment of his inexperienced lineup that turned into an unintended prediction on Monday.

“We’ve got to do a better job of putting the ball in play,” Black said. “I know that’s a focus that we’re talking about -- trying to cut down those strikeouts [and] just put the ball in play. Our guys -- just through experience and playing in close games -- are learning.”

The Rockies learned the hard way Monday night. Freddy Peralta racked up a career-high-tying 13 strikeouts and allowed one hit in seven innings in Colorado's 12-1 loss to Milwaukee at American Family Field.

Rockies rookie Ezequiel Tovar hit his 11th homer of the season, a one-out solo shot to left field in the first inning off Peralta, whose "stuff" rating bypassed electric and went to straight-up sizzling. Tovar’s homer put the Rockies’ performance in the history books. It marked only the third time in AL/NL history since 1901 that a team:

1. Had its only hit be a home run.
2. Did not walk.
3. Struck out 15 or more times.

After Tovar’s homer, the Rockies hit little of anything.

“Guys were frustrated, especially the younger fellows,” Black said. “You guys saw the look on their faces. They’re exasperated. But this is baptism under fire for these guys.”

Before exploring how much the Rockies are striking out, it is fair to acknowledge that this may have happened to any team Monday. Peralta, who has 151 strikeouts in 122 innings this season, and has three 13-strikeout games (two starts ago on July 26 against the Reds and May 13, 2018, against the Rockies at Coors Field in his Major League debut).

“[Peralta had] a super-elite fastball, and he used a good mix, too,” said veteran infielder Ryan McMahon. “Guys were trying to get on his heater, and I felt we had a good plan against him, but he just came out here and executed better.

“He’s got really good extension. He’s got a super-low release point. When those two are paired, it makes his fastball extremely hot. Also, he’s got a super-wide attack angle. There are a lot of different things that make him tough.”

The Rockies carried a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth, before starter Peter Lambert mislocated a 1-2 sweeper to Brice Turang, who yanked a two-run homer to right field for Milwaukee's first hit to kick off a five-run inning.

Over the season, there are teams more strikeout-prone than the Rockies. Monday’s game was their 49th with double-digit strikeouts. They entered the night tied for eighth-most games of 10 or more strikeouts. In those games, they’re 19-30. Before Monday, their record in such games ranked 18th in the Majors.

Nonetheless, it’s a problem. And it’s an accelerating -- but explainable -- issue.

Since the All-Star break, the Rockies are 10-11 -- a comparatively respectable clip for a team that’s an NL-worst 44-68. But since the break, the pivot to first- and second-year players has only accelerated. On Monday, rookies Tovar, Nolan Jones, Michael Toglia and Brenton Doyle started, as did second-year man Elehuris Montero.

As the experience level drops, the strikeout frequency rises. Of the Rockies’ 21 second-half games, they’ve struck out in double figures 13 times.

Tovar, who has started from Opening Day, has a 27.6 strikeout percentage per plate appearance while showing marked improvement judging the outside breaking ball from right-handers. But others are alarming:

• Montero: 40%
• Toglia: 36%
• Doyle: 36%
• Jones: 33.3%

Among the youth, the best offensive performers have been Tovar, batting .253 with a .702 OPS, and Jones, who -- even with the strikeouts -- has been solid (.276/.362/.476 with nine home runs) since making his season debut in late May.

Doyle, a regular since late April, has seven homers despite his contact issues. Montero and Toglia have been fed steady playing time during the second half.

So hitters’ reaction to the game was as mixed, as can be expected on a night when there wasn’t much that could be done about an effective pitcher. Yet the Rockies have to put the ball in play more effectively.

But it didn’t happen against Peralta.

“I tried to be early and was still late -- not much I could do there,” Jones said. “But we don’t want that to happen to us, ever. Obviously, you tip your cap, but we’re learning, and the quicker we can get away from those strikeouts -- and obviously, I’m really high on that list -- the better. There’s no part of us that isn’t frustrated.”