In a game that featured three ejections, an injury to a Rockies star and a benches-clearing skirmish, Kyle Freeland and the Rockies bullpen provided the steady hands to lift Colorado to victory on Sunday at Coors Field.

On his 30th birthday, Kyle Freeland blanked the Phillies for six innings with a craftsman-like performance. Right-handers Jake Bird (one scoreless inning) and Justin Lawrence (two) did the rest as the Rockies beat the Phillies 4-0, avoiding a three-game sweep.

The fourth shutout of the season got the Rockies back in the W column after winning eight of their previous 10 games coming into this homestand, followed by losses Friday and Saturday to Philadelphia.

“It’s a good feeling, because we’re playing pretty solid right now,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “We’re not giving away games — the other teams are having to beat us, and we’re not beating ourselves. This was a good win against a good team.”

Colorado got to Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola early. The Rockies’ first three hitters reached to load the bases for C.J. Cron, who grounded into a fielder’s choice with an error on a sloppy double-play attempt by the Phillies. That gave the Rockies a 2-0 lead, although Cron exited after his next at-bat with what the club called back spasms and he is likely headed to the injured list.

As Freeland worked around traffic in four of his six innings, the Rockies got a couple more runs in the fifth. Brenton Doyle mashed his first Coors Field homer, a 413-foot solo shot to left, and then later in the inning Kris Bryant’s RBI single scored Charlie Blackmon to make it 4-0 off Nola.

Black said that “we’re watching (Doyle’s emergence) unfold” after the speedy rookie outfielder made his debut April 24 in Cleveland. It was also Doyle’s 25th birthday.

“That homer was a great birthday present to myself, for sure,” Doyle said. “It felt really good because it was one of those balls where I knew it right off the bat… (Nola) left the slider up a little bit and I put a really good swing on it. Before today’s game, I was kind of grinding a little bit up there, but today was a big momentum boost for myself and for the team to get the win.”

After Freeland K’d Kyle Schwarber on a borderline call at the top of the zone in the sixth, the Phillies slugger left his elbow guard and bat in the box, arguing incessantly with home plate umpire Ryan Wills as he walked off. Then Phillies manager Rob Thomson was ejected by Wills as he came out to also argue the call.

Freeland then struck out J.T. Realmuto to polish off the southpaw’s sixth quality start of the season.

“My arm slot and release point was the most consistency it’s been all year,” Freeland said. “Me and (catcher Elias) Diaz were on the same page again — I hardly ever have to shake him — and we were able to get some quick outs and let the defense work.”

Freeland finished with eight strikeouts, one walk and four hits while earning his fourth win.

“He threw the ball great, and we needed him to, because we needed this win,” Black said. “We were coming off two good games in where they got us late in both games. We hung in there against a really good team that’s starting to roll a little bit, with really good players, and Kyle responded for us.”

Bird pitched a scoreless seventh, then incited the bases-clearing incident when he clapped his glove in the direction of the Phillies dugout as he walked off the field. Bryce Harper charged Bird, and a melee ensued. Both players were ejected. Justin Lawrence finished off the game by working around traffic in the eighth and ninth.

Monday’s pitching matchup

Reds RHP Hunter Green (0-3, 3.69) at Rockies RHP Connor Seabold (1-0, 4.56)

6:40 p.m. Monday, Coors Field

TV: ATTRM

Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM

Greene, the Reds’ first-round pick at No. 2 overall in 2017, was up and down in 24 starts as a rookie last year with a 4.44 ERA. This season, the inconsistency is still there, but he’s shown flashes of potential ace stuff down the line. Meanwhile, Seabold is set for his third start of the season after earning his first MLB win last week with five innings of one-run ball in Pittsburgh. For a band-aid in an ailing rotation, he’s been better than the Rockies could’ve hoped for with a 3.60 ERA in two starts.

Pitching probables

Tuesday: Reds TBA at Rockies RHP Chase Anderson (0-0, 0.00 with Rays), 6:40 p.m., ATTRM

Wednesday: Reds RHP Graham Ashcraft (2-1, 3.95) at Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (3-4, 6.30), 1:10 p.m., ATTRM

Thursday: Off

Friday: Rockies TBA at Rangers RHP Jon Gray (3-1, 3.15), 6:05 p.m., ATTRM

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