Pirates Blow Save
Kyle Freeland dominates Pirates for seven innings as Rockies secure victory with late comeback.
The Pittsburgh Pirates blew their 16th save of the season on Sunday, falling 4-3 to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. The Pirates grabbed a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning, only to give it right back before the frame ended — leaving them below .500 at 34-37 on the year.
Veteran left-hander Kyle Freeland stole the show, throwing seven innings of near-perfect baseball in his first start back from the injured list. Along the way, he hit 1,000 career strikeouts — becoming just the third pitcher in Rockies history to reach that mark.
Freeland Hits 1,000 Strikeouts in Dominant Return
Freeland had missed most of the spring with a left elbow strain. Sunday was his first start since mid-April. He looked nothing like a pitcher coming off the injured list. He retired 16 consecutive Pirates batters and allowed just one hit over seven innings, topping out at 95.4 mph.
The milestone came in the fourth inning when Freeland struck out Andrew McCutchen for career strikeout No. 1,000. He joins Jorge De La Rosa and Ubaldo Jiménez in Rockies history. "To get it in my first start back, at home, in front of these fans — it's something I won't forget," Freeland told The Denver Post. "The elbow felt great, and the command was where it needed to be."
Pirates Stage Comeback, Then Collapse in the Eighth
The Pirates went 1-for-21 against Freeland through seven innings. They finally cracked in the eighth. Bryan Reynolds hit a two-run home run off reliever Tyler Kinley. Connor Joe then added an RBI single, giving Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead. It looked like a comeback win was coming.
It was not. The Rockies answered right back in the bottom half. A Michael Toglia RBI and a sacrifice fly put Colorado up 4-3 before the Pirates could escape the inning. Pittsburgh's bullpen could not hold the lead for even one half-inning. Manager Derek Shelton said afterward, "We didn't execute pitches in the bottom half. Kyle kept us off balance all day, but we fought back — we just couldn't finish it."
Pirates' 16th Blown Save Deepens Bullpen Crisis
The 16th blown save is tied for third-most in MLB this season. Pittsburgh's bullpen was supposed to be a strength. Closers like David Bednar and Colin Holderman were counted on to protect leads. Instead, the unit has been one of the most volatile in the National League, costing the team win after win.
The loss dropped Pittsburgh to 34-37, further below .500 and further from a Wild Card spot. Questions are growing about Shelton's bullpen management and whether Holderman should be moved to lower-pressure situations. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that discussions about the closer's role have intensified following this latest collapse.
Pirates' Weakness Against Lefties Put on Full Display
The Pirates ranked 29th in MLB in run production against left-handed pitching entering Sunday's game, according to FanGraphs. Shelton adjusted his lineup because of that weakness, resting several starters — including McCutchen, who appeared only as a pinch hitter. The shuffled lineup had little chance against Freeland at his best.
Local analyst Kevin Gorman wrote that the Pirates "continue to play down to their competition," noting that dropping a series to a last-place Rockies team after taking the lead late is a sign of a team not ready for October. Rockies manager Bud Black kept it simpler. "That's as good as we've seen Kyle," Black said. "Efficient, aggressive, and hitting his spots."
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