Nine runs isn’t all that uncommon at Coors Field, especially during the warm summer months. However, it’s not as common for the Sim Rockies to be held to only one run at Coors Field on a warm summer night. Unfortunately that was the case on Wednesday night.
Kyle Freeland struggles again
Seven is usually a good number for pitchers when it’s in the “innings pitched” or “strikeout” categories. Not so much when it’s in the earned runs category, especially two starts in a row. Last week against the Sim Dodgers, Kyle Freeland pitched just 1 2⁄3 innings and gave up seven runs on six hits. In this game, he lasted 2 1⁄3 innings and gave up seven runs on seven hits and two walks. He did not strike out a single batter before being relieved by Antonio Senzatela.
For the longest time, Freeland was the most reliable starter that the Sim Rockies had and the only one with an ERA under three. But in his last two starts, Freeland has combined to pitch just four innings while allowing 14 runs on 13 hits with three walks and three strikeouts. His ERA now sits at 3.77. It’s certainly concerning, considering how important pitching is to the Rockies.
Scoreless after the fifth
Antonio Senzatela pitched 2 2⁄3 innings, allowing two more runs on three hits but striking out two. Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez pitched the final four innings and were outstanding. Hoffman pitched two perfect innings and Estévez didn’t allow any runs, but he allowed one hit and two walks. He also struck out one batter.
Death by Coors
The long ball did it again. The Sim Diamondbacks hit three of them, and they accounted for seven of the D-backs’ nine runs. Ildemaro Vargas hit an RBI double in the second to get things going followed by an RBI sacrifice fly by Domingo Leyba. Four batters later, David Peralta hit the first big fly of the night — a three-run shot. And that was just the second inning.
In the third, Ildemaro Vargas matched Peralta with a three-run shot of his own to make it 8-0 Sim Diamondbacks. Christian Walker hit a solo shot in the fifth to end the home run parade and make the score 9-1.
That “1” came from an RBI single from Nolan Arenado in the bottom of the third.
In total, the Sim Rockies offense combined for ten runs (the Sim Diamondbacks had 11), but they also struck out 12 times. Arenado and Ryan McMahon each had two hits, and Garrett Hampson went 3-for-4 with a strikeout. McMahon was also the only starting position player to not strike out at all.
Up Next
The Sim Rockies look to avoid the sweep at the hands of the Sim Snakes at Coors Field. Chi Chi González (1-5, 5.40 ERA) will take the mound against D-backs’ lefty Robbie Ray (4-7, 3.89 ERA).