Rockies do something it took them over two months to accomplish last year

Rockies Report, Game 6:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: What the Rockies did on this road trip, it took a while to accomplish last year.

Start with the guts of it: Tyler Freeman’s leadoff single in the 10th inning scored Brenton Doyle from second base and held up to give the Rockies their first series win of the campaign, 2-1 over the Toronto Blue Jays.

WELCOME BACK TYLER 👋 pic.twitter.com/hfs08ohhAS

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) April 1, 2026

A series win. Over the defending American League champions. It’s a small step, but it’s massive compared to this time a year ago. Last season, the Rox dropped their first 19 series before finally snapping the funk with a three-game sweep of the Marlins at Miami on June 2-4.

In 2025, it took until May 1 for the Rox to get their second road win, as they went through March and April with a 1-14 mark away from Coors Field before finally getting their second away triumph of the year.

The Rox came home from their opening road swing last year 1-5; this year, they’re one game better, at 2-4. But it feels so different, in part because three of their four defeats were narrow: by one run, including Sunday’s walk-off to seal the sweep at the hands of the Marlins.

They’ll return to Coors Field for the home opener with a positive run differential — 23-20 — and a budding push-the-envelope ethos reflected in 10 stolen bases in 12 attempts, both of which rank second in MLB behind the Milwaukee Brewers.

They’re still not taking enough walks; they’re 15th in batting average but 26th in on-base percentage. But they rank ninth in hard-hit percentage and sixth in average exit velocity, per Statcast.

Progress.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

Kyle Freeland became the only Rockies starter to make it through five innings on the road trip, scattering five hits and a walk over his five-inning, 80-pitch day before giving way to the bullpen. Three of the six baserunners were in the third inning, when Davis Schneider’s RBI single brought home Toronto’s lone run of the afternoon.

He’s now allowed just one home run in his last seven starts dating back to last Sept. 5 after giving up five in a three-start span from Aug. 23-Sept. 2 of last year.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Doyle corralled Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s line drive for the third out in the 10th inning, stranding Andrés Giménez at third base.

NUMBER TO NOTE: 2 — Blue Jays to reach base in five innings against Colorado’s bullpen, which delivered five shutout innings despite no Rockies starter completing five innings until Wednesday.

WHAT’S NEXT: The home opener against the Phillies, Friday at 2:10 p.m. MDT. Michael Lorenzen will make his second Colorado start; Aaron Nola counters for Philadelphia.

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