Rookie misses no-hitter, Rockies beat White Sox
Freeland loses bid in ninth inning
DENVER — Hometown rookie Kyle Freeland came within two outs of the second ever no-hitter at Coors Field as the Colorado Rockies beat the Chicago White Sox 10-0 on Sunday.
Edinson Volquez of the Miami Marlins pitched the lone no-hitter in the majors this season, doing it last month against Arizona.
Freeland (9-7) struck out the first batter of the ninth inning and then surrendered a single to Melky Cabrera on a 2-2 count. He was pulled immediately after and left to a standing ovation. Freeland threw
126 pitches and struck out a career-high nine.
Chicago starter 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.
Rockies manager Bud Black predicted this sort of outing. Well, maybe not a one-hitter so much, but how Freeland would throw his first pitch.
Black said it would be a twoseam fastball about 91 mph.
“I hope it’s a strike, too,” he said.
Black was correct on all accounts.
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 head-first dive to snare the ball. Parra pointed at Freeland, who pumped his fist and tipped his cap in appreciation.
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.
Freeland was trying to throw the second no-hitter 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.