Freeland loses no-hit bid in ninth

Hometown rookie Kyle Freeland came within two outs of the first nohitter by a Rockies pitcher at Coors Field before surrendering a sharp single to Melky Cabrera as Colorado beat the Chicago White Sox 10-0 on Sunday.

Freeland, who’s from Denver and grew up going to games at the hitter-friendly park, struck out the first batter of the ninth inning and then allowed Cabrera’s hit to left field on a 2-2 count.

The 24-year-old Freeland (9-7) threw 126 pitches. He was pulled immediately after the hit and left to a standing ovation.

The lefty struck out a career-high nine, walked three and hit a batter.

Freeland was trying to throw the second nohitter in Coors Field history. Hideo Nomo accomplished the feat in 1996 when he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The only no-hitter in Rockies history was thrown by Ubaldo Jimenez in 2010 at Atlanta.

Edinson Volquez of the Miami Marlins pitched the lone no-hitter in the majors this season, doing it last month against Arizona.

Freeland even had an RBI single in the seventh for the Rockies’ last run.

Reliever Jordan Lyles got the last two outs to complete the one-hitter.

Freeland watched the end from the dugout. When it was over, his teammates on the bench let him walk alone toward the foul line to greet the winning Rockies coming off the field — and to soak in another cheer from a crowd that included his parents.

Pat Valaika drove in five runs, including a three-run homer as part of a five-run sixth that turned a 2-0 lead into a rout. Charlie Blackmon also hit a solo homer.

Rockies left fielder Gerardo Parra had the play of the day in the eighth as he sprinted for Yolmer Sanchez’s blooper in short left and then went into a headfirst dive to snare the ball. Parra pointed at Freeland, who pumped his fist and tipped his cap in appreciation.

Carlos Rodon (1-2) allowed six runs over 5 1/3 innings in his third start of the season. He began the season on the disabled list with left biceps bursitis.

From Denver, Freeland attended the University of Evansville. He was taken by the Rockies with the eighth overall pick in 2014. His favourite players as a kid were Todd Helton, Larry Walker, the Blake Street Bombers, along with pitchers Jeff Francis and Aaron Cook.