Erstwhile Baseball Prospectus writer and current Astros front office member Kevin Goldstein defined any game that went beyond midnight local time as “weird baseball,” and there was plenty of weirdness, not much of it good for the home team, in the Rockies 17-9 loss to the Reds on Saturday.
Kyle Freeland’s return to Coors Field was delayed more than three hours by weather and after a smooth top of the first from the Rockies lefty, the hit parade began. The Rockies and Reds combined for 26 runs on 39 hits in a game that started at 9:20 p.m. local time and lasted 3 hours, 51 minutes. The Rockies are now 2-4 in their last six home games in which they have scored eight or more runs.
Kyle Freeland returns
Kyle Freeland made his first start for the Rockies since May 30, and while it was not a complete disaster, it’s safe to say things could have gone better. Freeland pitched just four innings, allowing five runs on nine hits with no walks and three strikeouts. He threw 74 pitches, 53 for strikes.
HOW many triples?
Among the 24 hits in the Reds offensive barrage against Rockies pitching were a whopping five triples. Entering the game, the Reds had 14 triples all season. It was the first time in 90 years that the Reds produced five triples in a game:
Reds batters have produced 5 triples in a game for the first time since 6/5/1929 vs the Phillies.
— Reds Media Relations (@RedsPR) July 14, 2019
Looking ahead
The Rockies will look for a win in the rubber game of the series tomorrow with Antonio Senzatela on the mound against Cincinnati’s Tyler Mahle. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. Mountain time.