Arizona @ Colorado preview
Coors Field
Last Meeting ( Mar 31, 2024 ) Colorado 1, Arizona 5
Opening Day holds fond memories for Arizona pitcher Zac Gallen but no so much for Colorado's Kyle Freeland.
The Diamondbacks roughed up Freeland in Arizona on March 28 while Gallen cruised through the Rockies' lineup in a 16-1 victory for the reigning National League champions. The two meet again Monday when the Diamondbacks visit Colorado to open a three-game series in Denver.
Gallen (2-0, 0.82 ERA) has pitched like an ace in his first two starts, which Arizona has needed in the early part of the season. The Diamondbacks have lost four in a row and five of their past six, including being swept in three games in Atlanta over the weekend.
Arizona coughed up leads in the first two losses to the Braves and couldn't take advantage of strong offensive performances.
If Gallen pitches like he has in his first two outings, the Diamondbacks won't need much offense to get by Colorado. He has allowed just one run and six hits over 11 innings and shut out the New York Yankees over six innings on Tuesday in Arizona's most recent win.
"Those are the types of games I expect us to play, but it was all set up by Zac," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "He was just pounding the zone, in command of more than one pitch and could get to anything at any time.
"Zac on the mound, it puts a lot of pressure on the opposition."
Gallen's success against Colorado isn't limited to this season. In 14 career starts against the Rockies, he is 7-1 with a 2.41 ERA, including a 2-0 mark in six starts in Denver.
Gallen's strong start to the season is opposite of what Freeland has experienced. Freeland (0-2, 27.00) lasted just 2 1/3 innings while allowing 10 runs on 10 hits on Opening Day and followed that up with another rough outing at the Chicago Cubs.
He lasted just 3 1/3 innings and gave up seven runs on nine hits in a loss to Chicago. Colorado's offense hasn't helped in his outings, scoring just three runs in the two games.
The Rockies' bats have woken up after the team scored just 16 runs through the first six games. Over the next four games they scored 26 runs but lost three of those games.
Colorado will need to keep up that offense and hope that Freeland can regain his form. With injuries in the rotation and the bullpen struggling, the Rockies will rely on Freeland to be better.
On Opening Day, he gave up 10 hits and 10 runs in 2 1/3 innings against the Diamondbacks. He followed with a start in a 12-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs, allowing seven runs on nine hits and three walks in 3 1/3 innings.
"Kyle is, hopefully, going to make 32 or 33 starts," Black told reporters after Freeland's last start. "It happens. ... It's just magnified here with the first two (games). His stuff is fine, but a lot of pitches are sort of middleish and they took advantage, and there were some bad counts, too."
Freeland is familiar with his NL West Division rivals. In 21 career games against Arizona -- all starts -- he is 3-9 with a 6.04 ERA.
--Field Level Media