Rockies get first sweep in over a year; Freeland gets win No. 1 of 2025

Rockies Report, Game 62:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: For the first time since May 2025, the Rockies can break out the brooms.

Hunter Goodman stayed scalding, delivering an RBI triple to vault Colorado in front 1-0 in the top of the first, and Kyle Freeland went 6 1/3 innings to earn his first win in 16 starts as the Rox held off the Miami Marlins 3-2 to complete their first sweep in South Florida in 19 years.

It was also Colorado’s first sweep since May 13-15, 2024 at San Diego.

Colorado is 12-50 and has as many wins in its past three games as it compiled in its previous 28.

Jordan Beck added a run to Colorado’s tally with a fifth-inning ground-rule double that hopped the left-center field fence, scoring Tyler Freeman from second base. Brenton Doyle brought home the Rockies’ final run of the day with a sacrifice fly, bringing home Goodman, who had reached based on a double, his sixth extra-base hit of the series.

Colorado’s damage came at the expense of Marlins starter Cal Quantrill, who worked in the Rockies’ rotation last year.

Meanwhile, Freeland cruised through, opening the game with six shutout innings.

But when Connor Norby’s sharp grounder ate up Orlando Arcia — who filled in for Ezequiel Tovar at shortstop — Freeland lost his grip on the shutout.

One pitch later, Eric Wagaman lined a double to the left-field corner; the only reason it didn’t score Norby was because the ball became wedged below the padding at the wall, leaving Norby at third base. But Heriberto Hernandez brought Norby home one pitch later, sending a cutter to left field.

That was Freeland’s 90th and final pitch of the day.

Jake Bird relieved Freeland with Wagaman on third and Hernandez on first and allowed a second run via a force at second base, leaving Jesús Sánchez at first.

Then, defense picked up Bird and Freeland. Liam Hicks lined a double to the left-field corner, sending Sánchez around and headed for home plate with the potential tying run. Jordan Beck retrieved it in deep in the corner and fired a relay strike to Arcia, who turned and lasered a dart to Jacob Stallings, who tagged Sánchez at the plate.

“Big time,” interim manager Warren Schaeffer said of Arcia’s throw. “… Great pick and tag by Stallings on the back end.”

Freeland escaped with two runs on his ledger — none earned — over 6 1/3 innings.

Victor Vodnik and Tyler Kinley worked scoreless eighth and ninth innings to complete the win, completing a strong series for the bullpen in which it allowed no earned runs in 15 1/3 innings of work.

This came despite regular closer Zach Agnos being on bereavement leave the last two days. Seth Halvorsen got the save Tuesday; Kinley closed out matters Wednesday.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

The events of the seventh inning defined Freeland’s final stat line, but the work of the first six innings left the 32-year-old veteran with — finally — reason to smile after the most frustrating start to a season he has endured to this point in his career.

“He just looked ready to go from the beginning. His body language looked energetic. He was ready to go,” Schaeffer said.

Freeland allowed four hits and plunked a batter, but didn’t walk anyone — and that man was erased when Freeland subsequently picked him off. Another single was wiped out by a double play; from the second through the sixth inning, Freeland faced the minimum.

Until Arcia’s error, Freeland was on cruise. But the damage was minimized, and he improved to 1-8.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Kinley retired the Marlins 1-2-3 in the ninth.

ROCKIES NUMBER TO NOTE: 1.929 – Goodman’s OPS during the series, as he went 7-for-14 with two doubles, a triple and three home runs, pushing his season-long OPS to .819.

WHAT’S NEXT: An off day before starting a homestand with a series against the New York Mets on Friday. Antonio Senzatela will start the Friday night series opener; the Mets will counter with Kodai Senga, who shut down Colorado last Saturday. First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. MDT.

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