September 8th 2024.
It was a Sunday afternoon filled with excitement and impressive performances as the Rockies took on the playoff-bound Brewers at American Family Field. Kyle Freeland took the mound and set the tone for the game, while Sam Hilliard brought the juice and the bullpen closed the deal. It was undoubtedly one of the Rockies' most memorable victories of the season.
The 4-1 win also earned them a series victory over the Brewers, adding to the team's confidence and momentum. However, things didn't start off smoothly for Freeland. In fact, his first inning was quite rocky, with 32 pitches and a throwing error by third baseman Ryan McMahon that allowed the Brewers to score. But Freeland didn't let that shake him, and he went on to retire the next 14 hitters he faced.
By the end of his six innings on the mound, Freeland had only given up one unearned run on three hits and no walks, striking out four. His final five frames were particularly impressive, as he only needed 57 pitches to get through them. The rookie relievers, Seth Halvorsen and Angel Chivilli, as well as veteran closer Tyler Kinley, also played a crucial role in securing the win and tying a franchise record by retiring the final 23 hitters to end the game.
Hilliard, who was filling in for the injured Brenton Doyle, stepped up to the plate in the fifth inning with the game on the line. Brewers manager Pat Murphy decided to make a pitching change and brought in lefty reliever Hoby Milner to face the left-handed hitting Hilliard. But Hilliard had other plans, as he smacked Milner's pitch out of the park for a three-run homer, giving the Rockies a 4-1 lead.
The Rockies' only other run came from a solo homer by Hunter Goodman in the third inning. It was Goodman's ninth homer of the season, adding to his impressive rookie year. With the win secured, the Rockies now have a day off before heading to Detroit for a three-game series on Tuesday.
If you want to stay updated on all things Rockies, be sure to sign up for the Rockies Insider to get all the latest MLB analysis. It's an exciting time for the team, and we can't wait to see what they'll do next.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
