DENVER — Kyle Freeland was a half-step late.
The second-year lefty already had a five-run cushion to work with and was cruising through the San Francisco Giants’ lineup when he poked a pitch toward second baseman Kelby Tomlinson in the fifth. The outcome looked inevitable, but Freeland made it interesting by mashing the nitrous button instead of tapping cruise control. When the first-base umpire signaled him out, Freeland ripped off his helmet in disgust.
Coming up short bothers Freeland even when it probably shouldn’t. Perhaps that approach helps explain why the 25-year-old Denver native has found so much success in a place where most pitchers don’t. Freeland helped the Rockies to an 11-4 win over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, allowing three runs in 5 1/3 innings. A couple mistake pitches in the sixth prevented him from picking up a seventh consecutive quality start, but he still did his part in helping Colorado get off to a 2-0 start to its six-game homestand against a pair of division rivals.
“I love it. I tell all these guys, ‘Be yourself.’ I told that to Kyle last year,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “When I took him out of the game, Desi (Ian Desmond) came to the mound, all the guys did. They pull so hard for him because they know he’s into it. Guys love playing behind guys who play like Kyle. It’s really cool. At times, he sort of plays like a position player. It’s great.”
Freeland needed 69 pitches to get through the first five frames. In the first inning he threw a changeup that caused Buster Posey to whiff so hard, his bat flew into the netting along third base. Gerardo Parra and Trevor Story both drove in runs in the first. Freeland helped his own cause in the fourth inning by stroking a two-out double to right field. He later scored on a throwing error.
“I was able to get a fastball up in the zone, and it started a little bit of a rally there,” Freeland said. “We scored a few runs. It helped me out.”
The Rockies doubled eight times. They took advantage of a Giants pitching staff that saw two of its members exit with injuries. Starter Jeff Samardzija didn’t return after the first inning due to right shoulder soreness. Dereck Rodriguez, the son of Texas Rangers legend Ivan Rodriguez, came on for Samardzija. His Major League debut was cut short when he took an Ian Desmond line drive off the leg in the fifth.
San Francisco cut Colorado’s lead to three in next inning when Posey and Evan Longoria ripped solo homers off Freeland. Scott Oberg came on in relief to stop the bleeding. It wasn’t Freeland’s best outing of the season, but it was still enough. His strong play at Coors Field continued. He’s allowed only six runs in 24 2/3 innings at his home park this season.
“He’s a horse,” Carlos Gonzalez said. “He wants to get better. He wants to get good. I think that’s why he’s been successful so far in the big leagues. It’s always nice to have guys like him. He’s always trying to get better. Running balls down the line. Getting upset when he doesn’t get the job done. It’s nice to see that from a young guy.”
