Freeland leads Rockies to first series win over Astros since 2021

DENVER – Colorado came at the Astros with a one-two punch of veterans determined to prove that age ain’t nothing but a number.

Kyle Freeland – 32 years old and nine years to the day since his big league debut, which was also at Coors Field – continued his strong start to the season, finally earning a "W" to reflect the quality of his first three starts. With Freeland in midseason form and with a substantial portion of timely hitting, the Rockies put together their first three-game winning streak of the season, downing Houston 5-1 and positioning themselves for a series sweep on Wednesday.

“From the jump, everything was working,” Freeland said, calling it his best outing of the season. “Changeup came along pretty well there later in the game. Fastball location was great, keeping them off balance with off-speed breakers down in the zone. Everything was working good. Sully [catcher Brett Sullivan] was fantastic back there as well.”

Freeland left the game with a two-run lead and got a big tag-in from his fellow veteran at the top of the seniority charts in Antonio Senzatela. The 31-year-old right-hander has converted from a starter to a reliever this season, and he earned his first career save in his 181st big league game, coming in for Freeland and retiring eight straight Astros to close the game.

“It’s amazing, being a starter and now saving the game,” Senzatela said. “You always dream of that. Back when I was a kid, I always tried to close the game. But doing it in the big leagues, that's really nice. I compare it to my first big league win. It’s really special.”

Houston struck first, with Christian Walker unloading for his third homer of the season, a 371-foot solo shot to left that was one of only three hits yielded by Freeland.

Freeland pitched a season-high 6 1/3 innings, allowing the lone run and one walk while striking out five and improving his ERA to 2.30 over his first three starts. His revived changeup and 10 ground-ball outs helped make the difference Monday night.

“I love letting my defense work,” Freeland said. “If I can get weak contact on the ground here at Coors Field, that's what you want. Keep the ball out of the air. If I can get the ball on the ground, let my infielders work and do their thing with their Gold Glove-caliber stuff, so be it. I'll love it.”

The Rockies are 2-1 in Freeland’s starts, and he’s improved noticeably in each outing – allowing two runs in 4 1/3 innings on Opening Day in Miami before going five innings and giving up one run on April 1 in Toronto.

“I was able to get deeper in the game,” Freeland said of his ability to elevate his game against Houston. “I got into a groove really early, and we were able to have quick innings, keep my pitch count down, and be able to get deeper into the game. To pitch in the seventh inning for my third start after having an abbreviated Spring Training felt really good.”

The Rockies' offense was also feeling good, finishing the first two games of the series with 22 hits under their belts and all 15 of their runs coming with two outs.

Second baseman Willi Castro knocked in the first three Rockies runs, tying the game with an RBI single in the second to plate Troy Johnston – who reached on an infield single and advanced when TJ Rumfield walked – and then driving a two-run homer 436 feet to right to stake a lead the Rockies made stand. It was his first home run for Colorado.

“Willi's one of the biggest parts of what we're trying to do out there,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “His flexibility, his versatility defensively, and his at-bats have been progressively getting better as the season's going on. Willi’s going to be right in the middle of everything we do. A great night for him.”

Mickey Moniak added a pair of insurance runs with his seventh-inning blast past the fence in right, his third home run in his fifth game of the season. He has been a spark plug for the offense, helping secure consecutive series wins as the team climbs within a game of .500.

“There's a different feel from day one,” Moniak said of the Rockies vibe. “We're just trying to go out there and win the day. Whether we lose or win the day before, it's a new day the next day. We're gonna celebrate this one for the time being and then wake up tomorrow and 0-0.”