Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland, a hometown kid, went out and threw a complete-game victory over the Kansas City Royals.
Kyle Freeland had never thrown a complete game in his MLB career. That, though, ended on Sunday at Coors Field.
Freeland went the distance and the Rockies' offense perked up, leading all roads to a Colorado win and a series sweep of the Kansas City Royals. Freeland hasn't had a great season record wise. He is now 3-10 on the 2026 MLB season, but Sunday's start was a special one for him.
As the hometown kid in Denver, Freeland was quite happy with the results from Sunday afternoon's game.
"Oh man, it's been a long time, but that felt good," Freeland said to Rockies broadcaster Ryan Spilbourghs of Rockies.TV on the field after the final out was recorded. "I had a conversation with Schaef (Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer) between the seventh and eighth inning."
Freeland impresses hometown fans
When asked about working with Rockies catcher Brett Sullivan, Freeland said, "We just stuck to our game plan" against Kansas City.
Good thing they did. Freeland went 251 career MLB starts, all with the Rockies, before getting his first complete-game victory. This all happened, too, with temperatures on Coors Field reaching 110-plus degrees.
Freeland allowed five hits, one earned run, walked two, and struck out eight. Yes, Freeland's ERA remains high, yet he's probably not too concerned about that after such a great game.
Cole Carrigg's 10th double this season scored Mickey Moniak for an early 1-0 lead for Colorado in the first inning. The Royals answered with a run in the top of the second inning, and that marked all the offense Kansas City got off of Freeland.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Ezequiel Tovar's sacrifice fly put Colorado back up 2-1. And then, the Rockies put up a six-run spot in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Willi Castro and Troy Johnston led off with singles to get on base. Edouard Julien walked, loading up the bases with nobody out. Aaron Bummer came on in relief of Royals starter Seth Lugo. Sullivan smashed his 10th double this season, driving in Castro and Johnston for a 4-1 advantage.
McCarthy just keeps on raking
Jake McCarthy stepped into the batter's box with one out and two runners on base. All McCarthy did was hit a three-run home run that landed in the stands above the right-field wall. That was McCarthy's 11th homer this season and put the Rockies comfortably ahead at 7-1.
Carrigg, with two outs, got an infield single. The young man then showed off his speed, stealing second and third base respectively. TJ Rumfield's 23rd double this season drove in Carrigg, who could just walk in from third base to home plate.
Colorado now was up 8-1 and that was the final score. By the way, Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman was not in Sunday's lineup. It apparently was a scheduled day off for him, so I would not read any tea leaves about trades. Yes, the MLB Trade Deadline is getting closer to Monday, Aug. 3, at 6 p.m. ET.
Lugo gave up five earned runs and Bummer allowed three earned runs, sending the Royals to another loss.
It's been a long season for both the Royals and Rockies. On Sunday, though, the hometown kid gave the hometown crowd plenty to cheer about on a really hot day in the Mile High City.
The Tampa Bay Rays will come to Coors Field for a three-game series that starts on Monday night.
