Freeland brilliant, offense clutch as Rockies storm back to beat Giants

DENVER – On the recent California road trip, the Colorado Rockies managed to turn each of the six games into close ones though a few went down as bitter losses.

It seemed like every key play that came down to a matter of inches went against them. But, in a rematch between ace Madison Bumgarner and ace-hopeful Kyle Freeland, the Rockies finally got the breaks on the big plays, storming back late for their second comeback win of the year and of the last week.

The Giants picked up a run in the first inning on the very first pitch of the game, Gorkys Hernandez ambushing a fastball to drive it over the wall in right-center field to put San Francisco on top 1-0.

A frustrating few innings with runners aboard began for the Rockies in the bottom of the first when Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story each walked with two outs and Ian Desmond reached on a fielder’s choice after replay overturned a pretty obviously missed call at second base.

But Chris Iannetta flew out to left field to leave ’em loaded.

San Francisco added a run in the second on a Brandon Belt single and a two-out double off the bat of Buster Posey who was able to outlast Freeland in a good battle to earn his line drive and RBI.

Freeland settled into a nice rhythm after that. He did not allow another baserunner for the rest of the game.

The Colorado offense got frustrated by Bumgarner again in the third, loading the bases for the second time in three innings and coming away with zero runs. DJ LeMahieu and Arenado each singled and Desmond walked. Iannetta lined out to left field again but this play required a sliding catch from Austin Slater in left.

But the Rockies offense finally broke through against the Giants ace in the seventh. Pat Valaika, pinch-hitting for Freeland, narrowly missed going yard before settling for an opposite-field single. LeMahieu followed that with a single of his own to right, employing his typical inside-out swing. Charlie Blackmon was then able to find his way into the good fortune that seemed to go the Giants way when the team’s play in San Francisco last week, getting a swinging bunt, infield hit to load the bases.

That was it for Bumgarner as the Giants went to the bullpen, bringing in Reyes Moronta to face Arenado with the bases loaded and no outs. Moronta looked intimidated by the Rockies slugger, only throwing one pitch near the strike zone, walking him on five to bring in Colorado’s first run.

That was huge because it put Trevor Story in a position where even if he hit into a double play, he could tie the game. While not ideal, that ended up being what he had to settle for when his groundball just got by the mound. He didn’t get the RBI, and had the ball been a few inches to his left, the pitcher would have had an easy force out at home, but as it unfolded, Story got the job done to tie the game.

Then, in a brief sequence of events that surprised everyone involved and everyone watching, Desmond hit an easy grounder to the best fielding shortstop of this decade, Brandon Crawford, only to watch the multiple-time-Gold-Glover airmail an easy throw to first, allowing Blackmon to score the go-ahead run.

The Rockies were able to add some insurance runs in the eighth. It helps to bat against someone not named Bumgarner.

Carlos Gonzalez singled through the shift and moved to third on a Noel Cuevas single to right. Tom Murphy then put together one of his better looking at-bats of the season, falling behind 1-2 but fouling off a few pitches and working the count full before lining a double to left, scoring Gonzalez and moving Cuevas to third.

Blackmon came through with a productive out, scoring Cuevas on a sac fly to center to make it 5-2, Rockies.

Scott Oberg worked the eighth with Adam Ottavino unavailable and gave up a lead-off single to Alen Hansen but erased him on a double play and got Belt to ground out to face the minimum.

Wade Davis pitched the ninth and surrendered a one-out double but otherwise worked a clean frame to earn the save and the win.

The Rockies improved to 42-43 and are now five games back of the lead in the NL West.

What’s Next:

Antonio Senzatela makes his return to the Rockies (pitching in the spot vacated by Jon Gray’s demotion to Triple-A) and will face Chris Stratton in the second game of the series.