Given it was their final meeting of 2026 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Colorado Rockies wanted to finish this series with a win.
Certainly, they put up a good fight — this was their best game of the series — but it wasn’t enough, and the Dodgers won, 6-4, completing the sweep. Before the game ended, the Rockies had struck out 15 times.
The Dodgers are now 77-51 while the Rockies fall to 50-77.
”We’re getting there,“ manager Warren Schaeffer said after the game. ”There’s a ton of good stuff that
happened tonight.“
Such is the nature of a rebuild.
The Rockies offense just wasn’t enough
The Rockies managed to get their first baserunner in the first inning when Mickey Moniak jumped on a Roki Sasaki fastball — the first one he had thrown in the game. However, with two outs remaining, the Rockies were unable to capitalize.
The Dodgers began accumulating hits as well in the second when Mookie Betts and Kyle Tucker singled. Following that, Kiké Hernández singled to drive in Betts and give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.
In their half of the second, the Rockies had another double as Connor Norby sent a ball into left field. Norby was at third when Brett Sullivan walked with two outs, and Ezequiel Tovar stepped to the plate. But it was for naught as Sullivan attempted to steal second and was thrown out, leaving the Rockies scoreless.
The third inning found Moniak hitting a single with two outs, but the Rockies (again) were unable to capitalize.
Betts expanded the Dodgers lead to 2-0 when he went yard in the fourth inning, his 16th homer of the season.
Things did not improve from there.
Following a Tucker single, Kiké Hernández hit the Dodgers second home run of the inning (and his second of the season), and the score was 4-0 Dodgers.
After that, Freeland got Rortvedt to line out before shaking his arm. He was immediately removed from the game, and Schaeffer called to the Rockies bullpen and rookie Mark Manfredi.
TJ Rumfield hit a lead-off single to kick off the Rockies half of the fourth, and Norby followed that with his second double of the inning with one out. And then Adael Amador came through with a two-RBI double.
The Rockies were unable to plate additional runners, but they were on the board, and Sasaki was at 83 pitches when the inning ended. The score was 4-2 Dodgers.
Neither team scored in the fifth, but it was Sasaki’s last of the game. His final line: 5.0 IP with two runs (earned) on seven hits. He walked one and struck out six on 99 pitches.
Nick Frasso pitched the sixth, facing his former team — and he made quick work of them, allowing one hit but getting two fly outs before striking out Shohei Ohtani.
In their half of the sixth, the Rockies were unable to gain any traction against Brock Steward, and the score remained 4-2 Dodgers.
Schaeffer had Frasso handle the seventh as well, which he did, allowing one hit but no runs.
Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia almost made quick work of the Rockies in the bottom of the seventh. But then he walked Jake McCarthy followed by throwing a four seamer to Moniak that he sent over the right-field wall for his 20th homer of 2026.
And then the game was tied at four.
”That ain’t easy to do,“ Schaeffer said of the at-bat. “I’m proud of Mickey. I’m proud of all of them.”
Reactivated earlier in the day, Jaden Hill handled the eighth inning with authority, allowing one fly ball and striking out two.
Dave Roberts went with Jack Dreyer in the eighth, and he promptly issued a lead-off walk to Rumfield. Following that, pinch hitter Jordan Beck flew out to right. Then Norby and Amador struck out to end the inning.
With the score tied, Schaeffer turned to his closer, Jordan Romano, who never lost a beat in working through the Dodgers 9-1-2 hitters — including a sick strikeout of Ohtani. (Come on, MLB Film Room. Make the clip available.) It was the rare evening when Ohtani did not manage a hit at Coors Field.
Looking to prevent a Rockies walk-off, Roberts sent Kyle Hurt to the mound for the ninth inning.
Sullivan lined out for the first out, and Schaeffer sent in Willi Castro to pinch hit for Tovar, but he struck out swinging. McCarthy managed to beat the throw to first (thanks to the Rockies challenging the call), which brought Moniak to the plate.
He struck out, and the game went to extras.
With Pages the ghost runner on second, Jimmy Herget faced Teoscar Hernández that moved Pages to third. A Freddie Freeman sacrifice fly gave the Dodgers a 5-4 lead. Betts followed that with a double to make the score 6-4. It was a solid night for Betts who had three hits, including two RBI, and two runs. McCarthy got the second out, and Schaeffer went to lefty Brennan Bernadino to face Tucker. He flew out to right, and the Rockies headed to their half of the 10th, down 6-4.
The Dodgers returned to LHP Tanner Scott, who threw 27 pitches the night before. He got Cole Carrigg and Rumfield out on one pitch each.
With that, all eyes turned to Jordan Beck.
It took six pitches, but Scott struck Beck out to finish the game.
The Rockies finished the night with four runs on nine hits. They had three walks and struck out 15 times. (Only Rumfield, Beck, and Sullivan did not strike out.)
Kyle Freeland leaves early
Freeland got off to a brisk start that saw him facing the minimum and retiring them on nine pitches.
However, his pitch count quickly rose in the second inning and hit 30 before the Rockies managed to get three outs. After getting through the third inning and giving up two home runs in the fourth, he was abruptly removed from the game due to an apparent injury.
His final line was 3.2 IP with four runs (all earned) on six hits. He walked one and struck out six.
Later, the Rockies announced that Freeland left with neck tightness.
Schaeffer had no additional details after the game.
The bullpen (mostly) shines
The bullpen took over in the fourth inning, and they were solid.
Mark Manfredi made his MLB debut after being called up earlier in the day — and the first batter he faced was Shohei Ohtani, whom he promptly walked with two outs. Manfredi then gave up a single to Andy Pages, but got Teoscar Hernández to fly out to Zac Veen ended the inning. In the fifth inning, Manfredi tallied his first MLB strikeout with Freddie Freeman.
He followed that with a flyout and striking out Miguel Rojas. Not bad.
Manfredi’s final line was 1.1 IP, allowing one hit but no runs. He also walked one and struck out two on 19 pitches.
“That was really cool to see him coming in there,” Schaeffer said. “I thought he threw the ball exceptionally well.” Then he added, “That’s what makes this game so great.”
Former Dodger Nick Frasso’s final numbers were 2.0 IP allowing no runs on two hits. He struck out two and did not issue any walks on 28 pitches. However, he did have a pitch-clock violation.
Jaden Hill picked off where he left off with a spotless inning that included two Ks. He threw 12 pitches.
”It’s good to have him back,“ Schaeffer said.
Not to be outdone, Romano handled the ninth with a fly out and two Ks on eight pitches.
As for Jimmy Herget, it was not the night he wanted. In 0.2 IP, he allowed two runs on two hits in the 10th inning.
Brennan Bernadino went 0.1 IP. He faced one batter and did not allow a hit.
Next up
The Rockies have an off day tomorrow, but we’ll be back on Friday, same Bat Time, same Bat Station, at 6:40 pm.
That’s when the Rockies will welcome José Ramírez and the Cleveland Guardians to Coors Field. Starting pitchers are slated to be Joey Cantillo and Tanner Gordon.
See you then — and look for more articles on Purple Row tomorrow!
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