Rockies fall to 7-35 as offense can’t support Freeland’s quality start

Rockies Report, Game 42:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Game Two of the Warren Schaeffer Era saw another struggle to produce runs from Colorado’s offense, as Hunter Goodman’s first-inning RBI single was the extent of the output in a 4-1 loss Tuesday night.

Texas didn’t produce much, either; all of what the Rangers needed came from third baseman Josh Jung. His first-inning blast — a 396-foot shot to right field with two runners on — was all the offense Texas needed.

Jung added an insurance run in the eighth inning, punishing Rockies rookie reliever Zach Agnos for a splitter left in the heart of the strike zone. Jung crushed it 392 feet over the left-field fence for what proved to be the final margin.

Ryan McMahon and Goodman led off the ninth inning with a double and single, respectively, and stood poised on the corners. They got no further, as Michael Toglia, Sean Bouchard and Owen Miller all took strike three looking from Texas reliever Shawn Armstrong.

Strike three to Toglia caught just a smidgen of the black on a 3-2 pitch, but it was enough. These Rockies aren’t getting any favors.

They dropped to 7-35; their record is the worst for any team in the first 42 games since the 1932 Boston Red Sox.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

If only Kyle Freeland could have the first inning back.

Actually, the first four pitches.

That was all it took for Texas to take a 3-0 lead. Two of Freeland’s first three pitches were sinkers that stayed in the heart of the zone and put runners at the corners. Then he opened with a fastball to Jung, who took it over the right-field fence.

After that, it was smooth sailing for Freeland. He allowed just four baserunners after that through the sixth inning. None advanced beyond second base. He walked one Ranger and struck out five; his command was excellent.

It officially goes into the books as a quality start for Freeland, who needed it after a rough afternoon in the opening half of last Thursday’s doubleheader sweep at the paws of the Detroit Tigers. But with the bats once again silenced, it wasn’t enough to prevent him falling to 0-6.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Owen Miller took Shawn Armstrong’s 95-MPH sinker on the outside edge of the strike zone for strike three with runners on the corners and two out in the top of the ninth, ending Colorado’s threat to rally.

ROCKIES NUMBER TO NOTE: 0 — Hits from the bottom four spots in the lineup Tuesday.

WHAT’S NEXT: Antonio Senzatela starts the series finale at Globe Life Field on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. MDT.

Related

Rockies snap seven-game skid as Goodman homers in returnHunter Goodman is already back — can he make history?Rockies’ freefall threatens to land them among baseball’s all-time worstRockies done in by disastrous inning as they drop seventh straightRockies to call up pitching prospect Mason Adams just weeks after deadline dealRockies lose ninth-straight at home, conclude 0-6 homestand