Fired-up Freeland charges Rockies to late-inning victory

DENVER -- It wasn’t just the fireworks that fired up a capacity crowd at Coors Field on Friday night.

Prior to the series opener against the Royals, Rockies manager Bud Black said his favorite days were the ones Kyle Freeland pitches -- because of the left-hander's competitive spirit.

By the end of the game, any fans not already in “Camp Kyle” were feeling the same way as Black as the Rockies followed Freeland’s lead to a 4-2 victory.

And count Freeland among those most adamantly fired up by seeing his name in the lineup every fifth day -- especially at home in Colorado before the second consecutive sell-out crowd, resulting in back-to-back Rockies wins and a 47-30 record on nights with fireworks.

“It’s what we live for, it’s why we play the game,” Freeland said. “Big crowds under the lights, great team, fun time, fifth of July, America. Baseball is fun. Even when there are valleys, you have to make sure you're still having fun. That's my mindset as I started to move forward off the [injured list]. Just make sure I'm having fun out there on the mound, having fun with the boys, and try and rip off some wins.”

Freeland pitched seven quality innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out five. He was efficient throughout, needing just 89 pitches (63 strikes) to record those 21 outs.

Freeland has been on a roll since coming off the IL on June 23. In his subsequent three starts, he’s posted a 1.37 ERA (3 ER over 19 2/3 innings), allowing 15 hits and four walks against a dozen strikeouts. Despite earning three no-decisions in a trio of quality starts, the Rockies are 2-1 in those outings.

“[Freeland] showed today what he’s made of,” Black said. “Tight game again, he's been in low scoring games when we haven't scored runs for him. The fastball velocity is ticked up, the breaking pitches are down and he started to get a better feel for the [changeup]. He made pitches today, he went after them, threw strikes -- a lot of good stuff.”

And true to form, Freeland was just as inspiring off the field as his performance on the field. He left with the score tied, and he let his feelings fly as he joined his teammates in the dugout.

“He pitches with a lot of emotion, he wears it on his sleeve, he's not afraid to show it,” Black said. “His emotion is always directed in the right direction. That’s who he is. I love that about Kyle.”

The Royals' only earned run off Freeland came in the first, when Bobby Witt Jr. doubled before Salvador Perez brought him home with a two-out single.

The Rockies tied the game in the third when Michael Toglia drilled a 382-foot homer that left fielder Dairon Blanco nearly caught over the wall. Blanco appeared to lose the ball when he made contact with a fan trying to make a catch, but despite a review, the home run call stood.

“I think he might have caught it if there was no one there,” Toglia said. “I’d have been pretty upset. It’s not easy, so every one counts.”

The two teams went into the eighth tied at 2, with Cole Ragans matching Freeland with seven innings of two-run ball. But reliever John Schrieber struggled out of the gate, yielding two hits and a walk to load the bases before Brenton Doyle smacked a two-run ground-rule double to the right field corner, putting the brakes on what could have been a base-clearing triple.

“When you're producing and putting good swings on baseballs and finding barrels, this game can be a lot more fun, and your confidence can rise with that,” Doyle said of his 3-for-4 night. “I'm in a good spot.”

Schrieber struck out Jacob Stallings before giving way to Broomfield, Colo., product Walter Pennington, who made his Major League debut in front of around 50 hometown friends and family members. Pennington struck out Nolan Jones, the first big league batter he faced, then induced a grounder to short from Toglia to end the inning.

“What a position to be thrust into in your debut, and he handled it great,” said Black.

Jalen Beeks came on in the ninth, and after getting into a jam by allowing the first two hitters to reach base, Beeks retired the next three in order, earning his second save in as many days to seal the Rockies' win.