Rockies Rally Late to Edge Pirates 4-3, Freeland Achieves 1,000 Strikeouts

DENVER (AP) — In a thrilling finish, Braxton Fulford's pinch-hit double in the eighth inning propelled the Colorado Rockies to a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night. Antonio Senzatela showcased his resilience by navigating a bases-loaded situation in the ninth to secure the win. Meanwhile, Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland celebrated a personal milestone, recording his 1,000th career strikeout, becoming only the second player in the franchise's history to do so.

The Pirates initially took control of the game in the eighth inning with a sequence of hits that turned a 2-2 tie into a 3-2 lead. Jared Triolo's RBI double off Freeland, followed by a single from pinch-hitter Bryan Reynolds and an RBI triple from Nick Gonzales against Jaden Hill, put Pittsburgh ahead. However, the Rockies quickly retaliated in their half of the inning. After Tyler Freeman and Cole Carrigg delivered consecutive two-out singles against pitcher Mason Montgomery (2-2), Fulford stepped up as a pinch hitter for Sterlin Thompson and delivered a two-run double that found the gap between left and center field, putting Colorado back in front at 4-3.

Senzatela (7-0) faced a daunting task in the ninth after allowing a leadoff single to Marcel Ozuna and witnessing Brandon Lowe's hit deflect off shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. With the tying run at third and the bases loaded after walking Endy Rodríguez, Senzatela struck out Tyler Callihan and clinched the victory by inducing Triolo to hit into a double play.

Freeland's impressive outing included eight strikeouts, with two runs and four hits allowed over 7 1/3 innings. He reached his 1,000th strikeout by fanning Ozuna in the seventh, trailing only Germán Márquez (1,069) on the Rockies' all-time strikeout list. The Rockies initially took a 1-0 lead in the third inning with an RBI double from Willi Castro, followed by a solo home run from TJ Rumfield in the fourth that extended their lead to 2-0.

Looking ahead, the Pirates will send right-hander Paul Skenes (6-6, 2.85 ERA) to the mound for the second game of the series, while the Rockies will counter with right-hander Tomoyuki Sungano (7-4, 4.54).