Kyle Freeland’s stone-faced look as he walked off the mound said it all.
The Rockies southpaw, who earlier in the season was the lone dependable pillar in the club’s battered rotation, got roughed up Thursday in the series opener against the Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta.
Freeland was tagged for seven earned runs in 4 1/3 innings, and the offense was unable to string together quality at-bats as the Braves beat the Rockies 8-3. Freeland’s given up at least five earned runs in three of his last six starts.
“I wasn’t getting ahead in the count.. and I didn’t do a good job getting in the bottom of the zone,” Freeland told reporters. “When you elevate the ball, they can hit it hard, and that’s what they did. With a lineup like that, they’re extremely capable of exposing bad pitches and missed locations, and that’s what they did.”
After both teams went one-two-three in the opening inning, the offenses woke up in the second. Colorado catcher Elias Diaz continued his strong season — and campaign for a possible all-star nod — with a solo homer to open the frame, but Atlanta rookie right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver set down the next three hitters to limit the damage.
The Braves then went to work on Freeland. Sean Murphy led off with a single, then Matt Olson singled and Kevin Pillar doubled them both home to make it 2-1 Atlanta.
But the home team wasn’t done. After a pair of walks, Ozzie Albies’ two-out double to left cleared the bases and extended the Braves’ lead to 5-1. Manager Bud Black echoed Freeland’s sentiments about the southpaw’s lack of command on Thursday.
“The second inning was rough for Kyle,” Black told reporters. “The put up some good at-bats, and a couple walks came back to haunt him. If anything the ball was up too much today, instead of having good action down. His stuff wasn’t quite as crisp.”
Colorado got a run back off another solo homer, this time from rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tovar in the fourth, but the Braves got the run right back in the bottom of the inning off Freeland via Ronald Acuna Jr.’s sacrifice fly that made it 6-2.
“Tovar’s progress offensively (is encouraging),” Black said. “He’s up over .250 (with his average), showing some power, he’s cutting down on his chase rate. He’s having a good first half to his first full season in the big leagues.”
The teams traded runs again in the fifth, with Tovar’s RBI single being equaled out by Ozuna’s sacrifice fly RBI off right-handed reliever Matt Carasiti in the bottom of the inning.
Olson added on with a solo homer off struggling right-hander Pierce Johnson in the seventh, pushing the score to 8-3. Meanwhile, the Rockies bats went silent against the Atlanta right-handed reliever Michael Tonkin, who K’d six hitters and didn’t allow a run over 3 1/3 innings.
The defeat dropped last-place Colorado to 29-42, while surging Atlanta possesses the best record in the National League at 43-26. The 20-year-old Smith-Shawver, the second-youngest player in the majors behind Cardinals right-fielder Jordan Walker, earned his first career win.
Roster move. Ahead of Thursday’s game, the Rockies selected the contract of catcher Jorge Alfaro, optioned catcher Brian Serven to Triple-A Albuquerque and designated right-handed pitcher Blair Calvo for assignment. Alfaro, claimed by Colorado on June 10 after being released by the Red Sox, will wear No. 38. In seven big-league seasons for Philadelphia, Miami and San Diego, Alfaro is a career .256 hitter with seven homers. He will be Diaz’s backup along with Austin Wynns, who is struggling offensively since being claimed off waivers from the Dodgers on May 4. Alfaro made his Colorado (and 2023 MLB) debut Thursday, going 0 for 4 with a strikeout from the DH spot.
Friday’s pitching matchup
Rockies RHP Dinelson Lamet (1-2, 10.38) at Braves LHP Jared Shuster (3-2, 5.05)
5:20 p.m., Truist Park
TV: ATTRM
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM
Lamet hasn’t been very good since joining the Rockies’ rotation on May 31; he failed to make it to the fourth inning in his first couple starts, both losses, but showed some promise with five innings of three-run ball (two earned) in his last start against San Diego. Ronald Acuna Jr., Orlando Arcia and Marcell Ozuna (who is day-to-day with a wrist contusion) have all homered off Lamet. The Rockies’ righty has to pitch better on the road, where he has a 12.46 ERA. Meanwhile, Shuster is trending up, having pitched at least five innings with three earned runs or less in each of his last five starts.
Pitching probables
Saturday: Rockies RHP Connor Seabold (1-2, 4.70) at Braves RHP Bryce Elder (4-1, 2.69), 2:10 p.m., ATTRM
Sunday: Rockies RHP Chase Anderson (0-0, 2.72) at Braves RHP Charlie Morton (5-6, 3.60), 11:30 a.m., ATTRM
Monday: Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (4-6, 7.29) at Reds LHP Brandon Williamson (1-0, 5.40), 5:10 p.m., ATTRM
