Freeland bounces back with three scoreless

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- After a rough debut in the Arizona Fall League, Kyle Freeland bounced back Wednesday night even though the Salt River Rafters fell 1-0 to the Glendale Desert Dogs.

Freeland was unable to get out of the first inning in his first start, surrendering six earned runs in 2/3 of an inning.

Wednesday, however, was a different story for the left-hander.

"It felt great, I knew I had to bounce back after that first one," Freeland said. "No one wants to not be able to get out of the first inning as a starter. This week I was just working in the 'pen, getting my focus back to where it needed to be and it showed for me."

The outing was a good one for Freeland, but his team came up short as No. 13 White Sox prospect Jake Peter hit a walk-off single to end the game in the bottom of the ninth.

Although the game was scoreless through eight, the teams were not void of scoring opportunities.

The Desert Dogs left 11 runners on base, while the Rafters stranded seven - each team left the bases loaded once. But after the first two batters of the ninth reached, Peter put an end to scoreless tie and roped a single into right.

Freeland, the No. 9 prospect in the Rockies organization, admittedly wasn't his at his sharpest. However, he still managed to battle his way through three scoreless innings.

Although he put up a trio of zeroes, the night wasn't easy for Freeland, as he gave up five hits and walked three. He threw 66 pitches, 36 of them for strikes.

"I definitely didn't have my best stuff," Freeland said. "My fastball command wasn't there, but it worked well enough. I felt really great out there."

Although the innings weren't easy -- Freeland never retired the side in order -- he made the pitches when he needed to.

The former first-round pick left the bases loaded in the third and stranded seven runners in total.

"At that point, you're really focused on pitching to contact," Freeland said. "You've got to put it on the plate and let them barrel it and you've got to make sure you're down in the zone."

While Freeland was putting up zeroes, his counterpart Brian Holmes was doing the same.

Holmes, a left-hander in the Astros organization, threw three scoreless no-hit innings of his own.

Although Freeman and the Rafters would have liked to come out on top, the pitcher was pleased with his evening -- an outing he plans to build off of in preparation for his next start.

"My main focus is putting together a good outing and getting back to my normal self," Freeman said.