It was only a matter of time before the Rockies’ fragile, patchwork rotation gave way.
Time ran out Friday night at Globe Life Field where the Rangers dominated Colorado, 7-2.
Right-hander Karl Kauffman, making his major-league debut, blanked the Rangers for the first three innings and fanned four in the process. But the Rangers’ dangerous offense solved Kauffmann in the fourth inning and beat him up in the fifth.
“There were definitely some things to build off of,” Kauffmann told reporters in Texas. “I definitely need to get ahead (of hitters) better and attack guys early and get weak contact. I threw too many pitches and guys were seeing me.”
Kauffmann threw 85 pitches, 52 for strikes, in 4 1/3 innings.
Kauffman walked Nathaniel Lowe to open the fourth, not wise with Adolis Garcia on deck. Garcia made Kauffmann pay with a two-run homer to right, his 14th of the season.
“The walk and the homer came back to bite him,” manager Bud Black told reporters. “We have to limit the walks, as best we can. But it was good to see him out there competing, and he did it with some poise.”
The Rangers’ five-run fifth was a messy affair for Colorado. Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar opened the inning by committing a throwing error to allow Leody Taveras to reach first. Marcus Semien then reached on a single and Corey Seager mashed a two-run double.
Right-hander Peter Lambert relieved Kauffmann and didn’t fare much better. He hit Garcia, then Josh Jung ripped a two-run double to left and Robbie Grossman banged an RBI single on a comebacker off Lambert’s glove. Texas’ 2-0 lead had grown to 7-0.
Kauffmann’s first major league line: five runs (four earned) on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
“He got the ball up,” Black said. “That’s the thing (that hurt him). He’s got to stay down with all of his pitches. Elevate, at times, but for the most part, he’s a pitcher that needs to stay down and take advantage of his movement.
“Overall, his stuff was fine, per his norm, which was good. And he competed … The first three innings were solid. But his challenge, like it was at (Triple-A) Albuquerque, the same as here, is to get the fastball at the knees. And he’s got to get to the inside corner on righties and get in on some lefties. He’s got to pitch. But we saw glimpses of that tonight, which is a good sign.”
After a difficult fifth, Lambert settled in and ended up yielding two runs on three hits over 2 2/3 innings.
Colorado’s offense had been rolling in May, slashing .269/.333/.435, good for the sixth-highest average in the majors. But Rangers lefty Martin Perez pitched seven strong innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. He struck out seven — six looking — and walked none.
“He pitched effectively with his fastball to both sides of the plate,” Black said. “He had a lot of called strikes on the inside corner. And he had a good change. The fastball-changeup combination tonight was really working.”
The Rockies managed two runs in the sixth on doubles by Charlie Blackmon and Elias Dias and an RBI single by Randal Grichuk. Ryan McMahon, coming off a 4-for-29 homestand (.138), broke out of his lingering slump with a 3-for-4 night that included a double in the sixth.
Saturday’s pitching matchup
Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (4-4, 3.16 ERA) at Rangers RHP Jon Gray (3-1, 3.15)
2:05 p.m. Saturday, Globe Life Field
TV: ATTRM
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM
Freeland has been a steady force in the Rockies’ patchwork rotation. He’s coming off a strong start against the Phillies at Coors Field when he pitched six scoreless innings, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out a season-high eight batters. The lefty is 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA in three career starts against the Rangers. He’s made one start at Globe Life Field, on Sept. 1, 2021, but left the game in the second inning because of a left-hip impingement.
Gray, who pitched for the Rockies from 2015-21, will face his former team for the first time. The Ranger lost four of his first six starts, compiling a 4.40 ERA. But Gray has rebounded, limiting opponents to one run over 15 innings over his last two outings, picking up two wins. Against the A’s last Saturday, Gray pitched eight innings for the first time this season and took a no-hitter into the seventh in the Rangers’ 5-0 victory. Gray allowed just three hits, struck out five and walked two.
Pitching probables
Sunday: Rockies RHP Connor Seabold (1-0, 5.14) at Rangers LHP Andrew Heaney (2-3, 4.71), 12:35 p.m., ATTRM
Monday: Marlins RHP Edward Cabrera (3-3, 5.13) at Rockies RHP Chase Anderson (0-0, 0-0), 6:40 p.m., ATTRM
Tuesday: Marlins RHP Eury Perez (1-0, 2.79) at Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (3-4, 6.70), 6:40 p.m., ATTRM
Want more Rockies news? Sign up for the Rockies Insider to get all our MLB analysis.
