CHICAGO -- Before Sunday’s game became a desperate search for the winning run, left-hander Kyle Freeland gave the Rockies reason to hope the future arrives sooner than later.

Freeland shut down the White Sox for 6 2/3 innings. Of course, the Rockies being where they are, Freeland left with the bases loaded in the seventh and reliever Victor Vodnik promptly walked in the tying run.

So Rockies gratification wasn’t instant, but at least it actually arrived. Michael Toglia’s sacrifice fly -- thanks to a deft Ryan McMahon slide -- in the top of the 14th provided a 5-4 victory over the White Sox.

How delayed was the Rockies’ reward? The Rockies' last game of 14 or more innings was 16 innings on Sept. 24, 2019 at San Francisco -- an 8-5 Rockies win. Another game at San Francisco on April 12, 2019, went 18 innings, with the Giants prevailing, 3-2.

Sunday’s victory salvaged the five-game road trip that began with two losses at Houston, then two more to a White Sox team that entered with the Majors’ worst record. With the Rockies owning the National League’s poorest mark, the finale seemed fitting.

But the Rockies got Freeland back from the 60-game injured list two starts ago, and the club can feel good about its pitching based on those. Last Sunday at home against the Nationals, Freeland didn’t give up a hit for the first 5 1/3 innings, and struck out four in six total innings of a 2-1 loss.

Freeland wasn’t as dominant this time -- two runs (one on Andrew Vaughn’s leadoff homer in the fourth) on seven scattered hits, with three strikeouts and two walks.

But he threw an efficient 53 strikes in his 80 pitches, and it was a winnable start for a club that soon will get back Germán Márquez from the 60-day injured list, should regain Antonio Senzatela before the season ends and has some starters to be excited about on the current roster (Cal Quantrill, Austin Gomber and the developing Ryan Feltner) and believes prospects are rounding into form.