July 6th 2024.
Brenton Doyle's star continues to shine brighter with each game. During Friday night's matchup against the Kansas City Royals at Coors Field, the Gold Glove center fielder delivered an impressive bases-loaded, two-run double in the eighth inning, leading the Rockies to a thrilling 4-2 victory. Doyle's hit came off a 1-0 sinker from Royals' pitcher John Schreiber, sending the ball soaring into the right-field corner.
Doyle's performance throughout the game was outstanding, going 3 for 4 and bringing his total to 10 hits in the last four games of the homestand. He even added four doubles and three home runs to his impressive stats. With his recent success, Doyle's batting average has risen to an impressive .274.
But Doyle's heroics wouldn't have been possible without the gritty performance of starting pitcher Kyle Freeland. Despite taking some hard hits, the lefty never crumbled under pressure, keeping the Rockies in a good position to beat the Royals. This was especially evident in the fifth inning when Maikel Garcia hit a triple but was ultimately left stranded as Freeland got the next three batters out.
Throughout the game, Freeland showed his strength and determination on the mound, allowing only two runs and seven hits in seven innings. In fact, in his three starts since returning from the injured list, Freeland has only allowed three earned runs in almost 20 innings, boasting an impressive 1.37 ERA.
The Royals were quick to score in the first inning, with Bobby Witt Jr. hitting a double off the left fielder's glove and Salvador Perez bringing him home with an RBI single. However, Colorado's defense stepped up to support Freeland in the fourth inning when a walk and an error by third baseman Ryan McMahon put the Royals in scoring position. But Freeland and the rest of the team were able to prevent any more runs from being scored.
There was a moment of concern for Freeland in the second inning when he felt a pain in his rib cage. However, after a quick assessment from the team trainer and manager Bud Black, it was determined to be just a cramp and Freeland was able to continue pitching without any further issues.
The Rockies got on the board in the third inning thanks to a solo home run from Michael Toglia off of Royals' pitcher Cole Ragans. It was a controversial play as a fan appeared to interfere with the ball while it was in play, but after a video review, Toglia's 10th homer of the season was confirmed. The replay crew ruled that there was no definitive evidence that the fan had made contact with the ball, allowing the home run to stand.
The Rockies tied the game in the sixth inning with an RBI single from Elias Diaz, scoring Brendan Rodgers. Although the Rockies had the opportunity to take the lead, they were unable to capitalize, with three wild pitches from Royals' pitcher Dairon Blanco and a couple of strikeouts keeping the score tied at 2-2.
In other news, right-handed pitcher German Marquez is getting closer to returning from his rehab assignment. In his last outing with Double-A Hartford, Marquez pitched 3 2/3 innings, giving up only one run and reaching a top speed of 99 mph with his fastball. If he continues to perform well and stays healthy, he could potentially start for the Rockies just before the All-Star break.
Outfielder Zac Veen, the Rockies' first-round pick in 2020, is also making progress in his recovery from a low-back strain. After rehabbing in Arizona, he began playing for High-A Spokane on Monday and has now been cleared to join Double-A Hartford. If he performs well, there is a chance he could make his major league debut later this season. Veen had a strong start to the season, batting .326 with a .418 on-base percentage and a .568 slugging percentage in 28 games.
Overall, it was an exciting game for the Rockies, with strong performances from Doyle, Freeland, and the rest of the team. With players like Marquez and Veen on their way back, the Rockies are looking forward to a successful second half of the season.
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