Freeland delivers, but Colorado gets shutout to lose both ends of doubleheader

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Reminiscent of his first start back for Colorado on July 13 when a three-hour rain delay postponed the first pitch against the Cincinnati Reds, Kyle Freeland languished for nearly two hours beneath Nationals Park awaiting the downpour to cease before his start Wednesday in the nightcap of the twin bill.

In his third start since being recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque, Freeland appeared back in action, showing a level of grit that hasn’t been on display since an Opening Day start, where he tossed seven innings of one run ball.

Freeland may have completed one less inning, but he also surrendered one less earned run. He gave up zero home runs, his second such line since returning.

The 26-year-old struck out four and walked only one. The most memorable punch out was his first: All-Star Anthony Rendon fouled back six consecutive offerings in a 13 pitch at bat that helped leave a one-out double stranded during the opening frame.

His pitch count was high all evening as Nationals hitters saw six or more pitches during eight different plate appearances. The only run scored against him was in the fourth when Brian Dozier doubled and scored when a routine ground ball passed between the legs of Garrett Hampson, an unearned run that didn’t blight Freeland’s positive outing.

Washington got an equally impressive performance from their starting pitcher, Patrick Corbin. With a pitch mix highlighted by his stellar slider, he recorded seven strikeouts, including four with the snapper.

Colorado reach third base twice during Game Two, but was reduced to runners on first for a majority of the night. Charlie Blackmon singled to start the game and Trevor Story followed with a walk. Nolan Arenado, amidst a 4-14 road trip thus far, hit into a double play to hamper their chances. David Dahl walked, but Ian Desmond fell victim to the slider to end the frame with runners stranded on the corners.

Story laced a triple to right field with one out in the third, but Arenado and Dahl could not put ahead the purple during the early scoreless tie. From there, Colorado got only three more base hits in the final six innings.

In the seventh, Freeland was thrown out by home plate umpire Jon Libka for his comments during Chris Iannetta’s at bat. After 109 pitches, his highest count of the season, he wasn’t coming back, regardless. His ejection, the first of his career, appeared to ignite the dugout, until the Iannetta struck out and pinch hitter Yonder Alonso followed suit against lefty specialist Tony Sipp.

Freeland smirked when recalling his ejection, saying “I though it would help try to fire up the dugout. It didn’t happen, but nice try.”

Jake McGee began the bottom half of the seventh, but would not complete the inning after giving up an insurance run to the Nationals in the form of a Yan Gomes homer.

Dahl doubled off Nats closer Sean Doolittle, but Colorado continued to flounder with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-7 on the night and 1-for-17 between both games.

With the 2-0 defeat, Freeland takes his fifth consecutive loss dating back to April 29 and is yet to win on the road since March 28th in Miami to begin the 2019 campaign.

By losing both games of the doubleheader to Washington, Colorado drops to 47-55 and falls further into the NL West cellar and 7.5 games back of the final NL Wild Card.