Rockies waste Kyle Freeland start, lose on walkoff

TAMPA, Fla. — Rockies Report, Game 1:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Rockies squandered a Kyle Freeland gem, losing a 2-0 lead to fall 3-2 to the Tampa Bay Rays on a walk-off Kameron Misner blast.

Freeland delivered six scoreless innings but was pulled after just 67 pitches.

Reliever Tyler Kinley was ineffective in the seventh inning, immediately allowing a Brandon Lowe single, a Junior Caminero double, a Jonathan Aranda sacrifice fly and a walk before Black pulled him in favor of Angel Chivilli, who surrendered an RBI single to Jonny DeLuca before limiting the damage, leaving the game tied after seven.

“Just, behind the count too much,” Black said of Kinley. “It’s tough to pitch 1-0, 2-0, 3-1.”

Victor Vodnik entered and delivered a perfect eighth inning, leaving the game deadlocked, but when he re-entered for the ninth inning, Misner — making only his 16th major-league plate appearance — crushed his 97-MPH fastball over the right-field fence to decide matters.

“He tried to go in with the fastball late in the game there to a guy pretty aggressive on the inner part of the plate, a guy with some power,” manager Bud Black said. “He sort of missed his location.”

STARTER’S REPORT: Freeland was brilliant, but left with no decision as he was pulled after six scoreless innings and just 67 pitches.

Freeland opened the afternoon with 3 1/3 perfect innings before a Yandy Diaz dribbler barely eluded the grasp of third baseman Ryan McMahon. But two pitches later, Brandon Lowe lined to Michael Toglia, leading to an unassisted double play.

Before giving way to reliever Tyler Kinley, Freeland allowed just two hits and no walks while striking out seven.

“I thought what he did well was fastballs in and also the fastball down and away,” manager Bud Black said. “I thought he pitched in really effectively. The breaking balls were good. Got some swings over the top from the right handed hitters, A couple lefties, misses on the, on the slider down and away, a couple of changeups.

“He was as efficient as I’ve seen Kyle.”

There must be something about the Sunshine State that brings out the best in the pride of Thomas Jefferson H.S., because this was his finest season-opening start since 2019, when he opened the campaign at Miami by allowing the Marlins just 2 hits over 7 innings.

Freeland outdueled Rays ace Ryan Pepiot, who was strong in his own right, scattering six hits and a walk over six innings, surrendering two runs, one earned.

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Misner crushed Vodnik’s first pitch of the ninth inning over the right-field fence.

ROCKIES 
NUMBERS TO NOTE: 0-for-3: Kris Bryant’s performance with runners in scoring position, starting with a three-pitch swinging strikeout in the top of the first after Ezequiel Tovar and McMahon reached base ahead of him. Tovar and McMahon were a combined 5-for-7 with a walk in the 2/3 spots, while Bryant went 0-for-4.

ROCKIES UNIFORM: Black hat with purple bill, purple jersey, gray pants.

WHAT’S NEXT: Game 2 of the series against the Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday at 2:10 p.m. MDT. Right-hander Antonio Senzatela, who returned from Tommy John surgery last September, is scheduled to start. He made three starts in his return last season, posting a 1.865 WHIP and a 6.57 ERA, but was promising in six Cactus League appearance, notching a 0.896 WHIP and a 1.21 ERA while scatting 16 hits and 4 walks over 22 1/3 innings.