Rockies drilled early, stifled throughout by Kumar Rocker in 10-0 shellacking

DENVER — Rockies Report, Game 49:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: The Texas Rangers jumped on Colorado opener Sammy Peralta in his Rockies debut and kept the barrage going against Tanner Gordon, eventually racking up 16 hits while the Rockies could muster just three as they walloped the Rox 10-0 in front of 15,916 hardy souls on a raw Tuesday night at Coors Field.

Texas loaded the bases before many of the fans had settled into their seats and took a 2-0 lead after the first inning. The Rangers didn’t do much of the damage via the long ball; instead, they racked up doubles — six in all, the most allowed by Colorado pitching since April 6.

It got so bad that Warren Schaeffer called on catcher Brett Sullivan to handle ninth-inning mound chores with the game out of hand at 10-0. He promptly faced the minimum, erasing his one-out walk by getting Sam Haggerty to ground into a 6-4-3 double play.

Troy Johnston and Tyler Freeman stirred Colorado’s offense in the second inning with back-to-back one-out singles off Kumar Rocker, who entered after Tyler Alexander worked the first inning in an opener’s role. But Rocker recovered to strike out Jake McCarthy and induce an inning-ending groundout from Edouard Julien.

The Rockies wouldn’t get another hit until Johnston lined a single to right field in the seventh inning, by which point they trailed, 9-0. Johnston was wiped out two pitches later when Freeman lined to first-baseman Jake Burger for an unassisted double play.

And so it went on a dark and dreary evening that saw rainfall arrive by the final innings, much as it did Monday night. Rocker baffled the Rox all night, delivering 7 2/3 shutout innings while limiting them to three hits and two walks.

Colorado dropped to 19-30.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

Peralta’s first appearance with the Rockies after being called up from AAA Albuquerque went askew from the start, as he walked leadoff batter Andrew McCutchen in four pitches. He induced a popup from Justin Foscue two pitches later for the first out, but the next four Ranges reached base — one via walk, another via plunking — and he was fortunate to escape with two runs to his name.

Tanner Gordon got him out of the bases-loaded, two-out jam at the end of the first inning without further damage, but after Gordon struck out Evan Carter to open the second, the floodgates opened. With Joc Pederson on second base after a one-out double, four-straight Rangers reached base with two outs, bringing home three runs.

Gordon managed to save the bullpen, lasting 6 1/3 innings. He worked with relative efficiency, averaging 2.7 pitches per batter. But that was largely due to the Rangers attacking him at will, and he surrendered 12 hits and a walk. He made it through just one inning — the sixth — unscathed. But those were the only positives on a night he’ll want to forget.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Brandon Nimmo drove a Gordon curveball that lingered in the heart of the strike zone over the center-field fence and just out of the reach of a leaping Jake McCarthy in the fourth inning, delivering a two-run shot that extended Texas’ lead to 7-0.

Nimms didn't miss 💪 pic.twitter.com/EHUkYYWiDs

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) May 20, 2026

NUMBER TO NOTE: .111 — Mickey Moniak’s average since May 14 as he endures his first slump of the season, going 2-for-18 in that span. He was 0-for-3 Tuesday, reaching base in the first inning when Tyler Alexander plunked him.

WHAT’S NEXT: Kyle Freeland looks for a rebound from his rough run of recent form in the homestand finale as the Rockies will attempt to win their first series of the month. Jack Leiter starts for the Rangers. First pitch for the matinee will be at 1:10 p.m. MDT.

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