D-Backs offense quiet in loss
The D-Backs’ bats, usually hot at home, go cold against LHP Freeland in 3-1 loss to Rockies.
Trevor Story homered and rookie Kyle Freeland pitched six effective innings, helping the Colorado Rockies beat the Diamondbacks 3-1 Friday night to move into first place in the NL West.
The Rockies (15-9) moved a halfgame ahead of the Diamondbacks (15-10) atop the division in the opener of the three-game series. Colorado also ended a three-game losing streak.
Freeland (3-1) gave up a run and six hits with two walks. He struck out two and lowered his earned run average to 2.93. Chris Rusin, Adam Ottavino and Greg Holland combined for three scoreless innings, with Holland earning his 10th save.
Arizona left-hander Robbie Ray (2-1) struck out nine in 62⁄3 innings, but allowed three runs and five hits with three walks.
Nolan Arenado hit a ground-rule double to left field with two out in the first inning and scored on Carlos Gonzalez’s single. Story’s fifth homer made it 2-0 in the second.
The Diamondbacks answered with a run in the bottom of the third. Freeland got two outs before A.J. Pollock singled, Chris Owings walked and Paul Goldschmidt lined a 3-2 pitch to center field to drive in Pollock.
Goldschmidt has a 31-game onbase streak at home against the Rockies.
The Diamondbacks had runners on second and third against with one out for Goldschmidt in the fifth, even after Story dived behind second base to rob Pollock of a hit and force a fielder’s choice. But Freeland worked out of the jam, as Goldschmidt was retired on a broken bat pop out and Yasmany Tomas bounced out.
Charlie Blackmon’s two-out single in the seventh drove in Pat Valaika and chased Ray.
Good grabs
Both teams had outfielders turn in big defensive plays on Friday. Tomas, not typically known for his glove work, ran down a Dustin Garneau fly ball for a backhand catch in the second inning before hitting the left-field wall. Blackmon took a hit away from Arizona’s David Peralta when the Rockies center fielder slid to catch a sinking fly ball.