Field Level Media
Sep 23, 2018
Kyle Freeland pitched seven scoreless innings in his 10th consecutive quality start as the Colorado Rockies kept pace in the National League playoff races with a 2-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday in Phoenix, completing a three-game sweep.
Nolan Arenado had an RBI double, DJ LeMahieu and Garrett Hampson each had two hits, and Charlie Blackmon extended his hitting streak to a career-high 15 games for the Rockies (85-70). Colorado remained 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West and 1 1/2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the second NL wild card.
Both the Dodgers and the Cardinals are 87-69.
Freeland (16-7) gave up seven hits with six strikeouts and one walk, following quality starts by German Marquez and Antonio Senzatela. Marquez allowed two runs in seven innings in a 6-2 victory over Arizona on Friday, and Senzatela yielded one run in seven innings of a 5-1 victory Saturday.
David Peralta, Eduardo Escobar and Chris Owings had two hits apiece for the Diamondbacks (79-77). Arizona was eliminated from the NL wild-card race when St. Louis beat the San Francisco Giants and eliminated from the NL West race when the Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres.
The Diamondbacks led the division on Sept. 1 but are 5-17 since.
Arenado has 103 RBIs, third in the NL, and is the fourth third baseman in major league history with four straight seasons of 30 homers and 100 RBIs. Vinny Castilla, Chipper Jones and Alex Rodriguez are the others.
Wade Davis pitched the ninth for his 41st save, extending a career high. Freeland is tied with Philadelphia's Aaron Nola for fourth in the NL in victories.
The Rockies finish the regular season with seven home games -- four against the Phillies and the final three against the Washington Nationals. The Dodgers play a three-game series in Arizona beginning Monday before finishing with three games in San Francisco.
Colorado loaded the bases but could not score in the first inning before taking a 1-0 lead off Zack Godley (14-11) in the third inning. LeMahieu singled and scored on Arenado's one-out double.
The Rockies made it 2-0 in the fifth inning when LeMahieu and Arenado walked and Gerardo Parra singled to drive in LeMahieu.
Godley gave up six hits and two runs in five innings, with five strikeouts and three walks.
--Field Level Media