Kyle Freeland becomes second Rockies pitcher with 1,000 strikeouts

DENVER — Rockies Report, Game 76:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Antonio Senzatela danced out of a bases-loaded, no-out ninth-inning jam to keep the Pittsburgh Pirates off the board and preserve a 4-3 series- and homestand-opening win in front of 33,596 at Coors Field on Friday night.

Senzatela found trouble after allowing a leadoff single, which was followed by an Ezequiel Tovar error. A walk to Endy Rodríguez loaded the bases. But he struck out Tyler Callihan to get the first out, then induced a 6-4-3 double play from Jared Triolo that was upheld after a Pirates challenge, easing tight sphincters among the crowd that recalled Monday night’s bullpen meltdown.

Senzatela received credit for the win after Jaden Hill struggled in the eighth inning in relief of Kyle Freeland, allowing a pair of singles in two-thirds of an inning to allow the Pirates to take a 3-2 lead.

Colorado improved to 29-47 with the win.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

Freeland was the story of the night, not only because went seven innings for the first time this season, but because he became the second pitcher in Rockies history to reach 1,000 strikeouts, joining Germán Márquez when he retired Marcell Ozuna in the seventh inning.

“That says a lot about what he’s done in this game — especially for the Rockies,” manager Warren Schaeffer said.

For good measure, Freeland added strikeouts 1,001 one batter later, one of af a season-high eight Ks. It was his highest tally since Sept. 5 of last year, when he fanned 10 Padres.

“Tonight, I thought he was absolutely exceptional,” Schaeffer said. “… It seemed like he was in control all night.”

Those strikeouts came within a dazzling stretch for Freeland, when retired 14 Pirates in succession, beginning with a third-inning strikeout of Billy Cook. The next Pittsburgh batter to reach base didn’t do so until the eighth inning, when Esmerlyn Valdez doubled to right-center field.

But three pitches later, Freeland’s night ended, as Jared Triolo dropped a double into the right-field corner, scoring Valdez. Freeland then lost the win on Hill’s first pitch, as pinch-hitter Bryan Reynolds snuck a ground ball under the diving Willi Castro to score Triolo and know the game at 2-apiece.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Senzatela got Triolo to hit into the game-ending double play.

NUMBER TO NOTE: 28 — Number of career starts for Kyle Freeland in which he has pitched at least seven innings. The 81 pitches he threw Friday were the second-fewest in any of those starts of seven-plus innings.

WHAT’S NEXT: A tough assignment for the Rox, as they’ll face Pirates ace Paul Skenes. Tomoyuki Sugano gets the ball for Colorado. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. MDT.