Estrada’s 4-RBI day powers Rockies to win No. 20

Rockies Report, Game 87:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: It took a while — yeah, into July — but the Colorado Rockies have their 20th win, and they got it at the expense of one of Major League Baseball’s hottest teams.

The Houston Astros entered Thursday’s series finale a scorching 21-7 since June 1, but the Rox hung a 7-6 loss on them thanks in part to infielder Thairo Estrada.

The offseason acquisition — who missed two months due to a fractured right wrist — kick-started Colorado’s onslaught with his second home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning, then added two more RBI, including one on a seventh-inning single that proved massive as Seth Halvorsen allowed Houston to creep back within one run and found himself in a two-out, two-on jam before escaping after he got Cooper Hummel to fly out to right field.

¡Thairo Estrada la saca y empata el juego!🙌🚀 pic.twitter.com/IpujGFR7ZC

— MLB Español (@mlbespanol) July 3, 2025

Estrada had three of Colorado’s 13 hits. Jordan Beck, Tyler Freeman, Brenton Doyle and Orlando Arcia each added two hits apiece.

The Rockies needed all of them, as the Astros also racked up 13 hits — seven of them in the final three innings at the expense of Colorado’s bullpen, which struggled. Juan Mejia had a rough seventh inning, yielding a single, a double and, finally, a two-RBI triple to Cam Smith that tied the game at 5-apiece, snatching a win away from starter Kyle Freeland.

Beck had an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh to put the Rox back in front; Estrada’s final RBI of the day added to the lead.

Halvorsen overcame a leadoff triple and a subsequent RBI groundout and a pair of singles for the save.

Colorado has won six of its last nine series-ending games, including two straight, having beaten Milwaukee in a series finale last Sunday. In all other games in those nine recent series, the Rockies are 5-14.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

Freeland lost the win, but overcame a ragged three-hit first inning to log his fourth quality start in his last five appearances dating back to May 30.

He settled into his groove after Houston added to its early tally with an Isaac Paredes RBI double in the second inning, scoring Hummel. After the third inning, no Astro advanced beyond third base as Freeland settled in, eventually going 92 pitches before being relieved.

Even with a rough night June 27 at Milwaukee — when he got knocked around for six runs in four innings — Freeland’s ERA in his last eight starts is a respectable 4.67; in his first eight starts it was 6.41.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Freeman chased down Hummel’s fly ball near the right-field line for the final out.

NUMBERS TO NOTE: 8-6 — Colorado’s record in home series finales this season. In all other home games, the Rox are 1-28.

WHAT’S NEXT: An opportunity for the Rox to stack some wins as the American League’s worst team, the Chicago White Sox, hits Coors Field for a three-game series. Friday night is the first of two fireworks games this weekend. Antonio Senzatela starts for Colorado; Adrian Houser will get the nod for the Southsiders. First pitch is at 6:10 p.m. MDT. Scattered tickets are still available.

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