Rockies Victorious
Fulford's Late Double Lifts Rockies Past Pirates 4-3; Freeland Achieves 1,000 Strikeouts
Pinch-hitter Braxton Fulford hit a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning Friday night, lifting the Colorado Rockies to a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field. The clutch hit came with two outs and two runners on, giving Colorado a lead it would not surrender. WWLTV reported that Antonio Senzatela then escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth by inducing a 4-6-3 double play to seal the victory.
The win was also a historic night for starter Kyle Freeland. The Denver native recorded his 1,000th career strikeout, becoming just the second pitcher in Rockies franchise history to reach that mark, NH Register reported. Freeland said after the game, "Reaching 1,000 strikeouts in this uniform, in this city, is something I dreamed about. But the win matters more for the clubhouse right now."
Fulford's Eighth-Inning Double Breaks Open a Tight Game
The Rockies trailed 3-2 heading into the eighth. Pittsburgh's Ke'Bryan Hayes had hit a two-run homer in the seventh to give the Pirates the lead. With two outs and two runners aboard, Rockies manager Bud Black called on rookie Braxton Fulford to pinch-hit. Fulford, recently called up from Triple-A Albuquerque, drove a line-drive double to the left-center gap at 104.2 mph exit velocity, per Statcast data cited by The Durango Herald.
Black praised the young catcher after the game. "Braxton has been a 'pro's pro' since he got the call," Black said. "That double was a veteran swing from a young kid." Fulford told The Denver Post, "I was just looking for a fastball I could drive. To contribute to a win like this, with Kyle hitting that milestone, is surreal."
Freeland Joins Rare Company With 1,000th Career Strikeout
Kyle Freeland recorded his 1,000th career punchout during the fourth inning Friday. The milestone put him ahead of Jorge De La Rosa — who had held the franchise record at 985 career strikeouts — making Freeland the all-time leader and the first homegrown Rockies pitcher to reach 1,000 Ks entirely with the club, according to KDH News.
Freeland finished with a 4.12 ERA after six innings of work. ESPN senior analyst Buster Olney noted the milestone is especially impressive given the "Coors Field Factor" — the thin Denver air reduces the break on pitches, making strikeouts harder to get than at sea-level parks. The crowd of 32,411 gave Freeland a standing ovation when the milestone was reached.
Senzatela Gets Out of a Loaded Jam in the Ninth
Colorado's 4-3 lead looked shaky in the ninth. Senzatela loaded the bases with one out, putting the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position. Pittsburgh had 11 runners left on base during the game and went just 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Senzatela then got a ground ball that became a 4-6-3 double play, ending the game, Tribune-Democrat reported.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton credited Senzatela after the loss. "We had them where we wanted them in the ninth, but we couldn't execute the situational hitting," Shelton said. "Credit to Senzatela for making the pitches when he had to." Analytics site FanGraphs noted that Senzatela was fortunate on the final play, as the exit velocities allowed during the jam were high.
Fulford's Breakout Could Reshape the Rockies' Roster
Fulford entered Friday as a defensive-minded catcher known more for his glove than his bat. He was a 6th-round pick out of Texas Tech. His game-winning hit Friday could cement his spot on the 26-man roster and push him into a bigger role, according to Baseball America via Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
Meanwhile, Freeland's milestone may heat up trade talks ahead of the July deadline. Contending teams often look for veteran left-handed starters with playoff experience. The Rockies also reported a spike in Freeland merchandise sales after the game. For a team fighting to stay out of the NL West cellar, Friday was a rare night with something to celebrate on multiple fronts, AOL reported.
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