The Colorado Rockies walked off the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 this evening, snapping a 10-game losing streak against the Boys in Blue and a seven-game losing streak against them at home. Kyle Freeland kept them in the game, the bullpen was absolute nails, and the offense played some nice small ball to set up the winner and propel the Rockies to a season-high four-game win streak.
#BeatLA
Kyle Freeland kept it close
Kyle Freeland had a solid start before succumbing to a blister in the fifth inning. He tossed four innings, allowing
two runs with one walk and five strikeouts.
Things started off a little busy, when Freeland gave up back-to-back singles to Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts to lead things off. But then he retired the next three — Teoscar Hernández, Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages — to end the threat. The second inning began the same with back-to-back singles by Alex Call and Miguel Rojas. A wild pitch moved up the runners, and Call would score on a a sac fly by Dalton Rushing. Rojas would then score on an Ohtani single to put the Dodgers up 2-0 early.
Two runners got on in the third again, but this time with one out — a Freeman double and Pages walk — but Call grounded into a double play to end the inning. Freeland pitched a 1-2-3 fourth, but then was relieved by Jaden Hill in the fifth.
Late Bullpen Heroics
Hill relieved Freeland and pitched the fifth and sixth innings. He pitched a clean 1-2-3 fifth, but ran into some traffic in the sixth. Freeman led off the sixth with a walk, but then Pages was called out on strikes. Freeman stole second and pinch-hitter Michael Conforto struck out swinging. Pinch-hitter Alex Freeland (no relation to Kyle) doubled to knock in Freeman, but that was the last Dodger run to score.
Luis Peralta came in to pitch the seventh, and redeemed himself after some tough recent outings. He struck out Rushing (looking), Ohtani (swinging) and Betts (looking). Juan Mejia pitched the eighth and gave up a double to Freeman, but didn’t allow a run to score in the four batters he faced. Victor Vodnik closed the game with a 1-2-3 ninth to set up the winner.
In total, the Rockies pitching staff struck out the Dodgers 12 times and issued just two walks.
These Kids Don’t Quit
This Rockies team does not quit. They could’ve easily given up when the Dodgers went up 2-0 early, but they battled back again and won.
Things got started in the third when Kyle Karros (son of former Rockies killer and current Dodgers broadcaster Eric Karros) walked. Brenton Doyle singled to advance Karros to third, and then they both came around to score on a Ryan Ritter single to tie the game.
Ezequiel Tovar didn’t want to be left out, so he went yard in the seventh on a 413-foot shot to right center to re-tie the game at three.
And finally, some good team ball in the ninth set up the winner. Jordan Beck flied out to lead off the inning, but Tovar smacked a double to right center. And Warming Bernabel stayed hot, knocking a ground ball up the middle to score Tovar and walk off our NL West foes.
Up Next
The Rockies will play the Dodgers again tomorrow. Austin Gomber (0-6, 6.75 ERA) will face Dodgers’ right-hander Emmet Sheehan (3-2, 3.86 ERA). First pitch is at 6:40pm MT. Can the Rockies make it five in a row? Tune in to find out!
