September 4th 2024.
The Rockies seemed to already know the outcome before the game even began. With the formidable Chris Sale on the mound for the Braves, a left-handed pitcher known for his impressive strikeout rate, the Rockies, a young team still struggling on the road, had little hope of pulling off a win.
Unfortunately for them, their fears became reality as Sale dominated on the mound, striking out nine batters in seven innings and leading the Braves to a 3-0 victory at Truist Park. Sale has been on an impressive streak, pitching 15 consecutive games with two or fewer runs allowed. And he wasn't the only one on the Braves' pitching staff to shine that night, as their starting pitchers have now gone 22 games in a row allowing three runs or fewer, a record not seen since the mound was moved to its current distance in 1893.
The Rockies' struggles at the plate were evident, with a total of 14 strikeouts that game, bringing their season total to 1,369, the most in the National League. It's no surprise that the Braves have been dominant against the Rockies since 2022, with a record of 15-3. And the Rockies' offense was shut out for the 14th time this season.
Despite the odds stacked against them, the Rockies put up a fight, thanks in part to left-handed starter Kyle Freeland, who pitched five strong innings before being pulled due to a finger blister. He limited the Braves to just two runs on six hits, striking out five batters without allowing any walks. But the pain in his finger became too much to ignore, and he was unable to throw his slider or curveball.
"It's very annoying, dealing with this," Freeland shared with reporters after the game. "We thought we had it taken care of for the past couple of weeks, but then it pops up again. So very frustrating, to be pitching well in a game, trying to keep the club in a game, but to have it pop up and not have any feel for any breaking stuff... especially in the fourth and fifth innings."
Manager Bud Black agreed that it was best to not risk further injury and pulled Freeland from the game. The Braves were able to score two runs off of Freeland in the third inning, thanks to a single and double from Whit Merrifield and Gio Urshela, respectively. And while the Rockies were able to score a run in the seventh inning off of a sacrifice fly, it wasn't enough to overcome the Braves' lead.
The Rockies' best chance to score came in the sixth inning, when Ezequiel Tovar hit a triple, his third of the season, but Sale was able to strike out the next two batters before getting Michael Toglia to fly out to center field.
Despite the loss, the Rockies have shown promise this season, with young players like Brendan Rodgers and Brenton Doyle stepping up. And while their road record may not be the best, with a current pace of 22-59, it's not the worst in franchise history. And with players like Freeland and Sale on their team, there's always a chance for a comeback.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
