Forget the record, forget the ERA, because Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland sure did on Friday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field.

Freeland recorded his 1,000th career strikeout as the Rockies picked up a 4-3 win. It got really dicey in the top of the ninth as Antonio Senzatela pulled a Houdini act. After the Rockies took that 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth, Senzatela replaced Jaden Hill.

Ultimately, Senzatela managed to escape the damage.

Colorado scored single runs in the third and fourth innings to grab a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, Sterlin Thompson was hit by a pitch. Then, shortstop Ezequiel Tovar put down a bunt single and Thompson moved on up to second base. With two outs, Willi Castro doubled and Tovar scored to put the Rockies up 1-0. 

Then, in the bottom of the fourth inning, Colorado's TJ Rumfield hit his 11th home run this season. Rumfield's homer soared over the right-field wall at Coors Field. With that dinger, the Rockies went up 2-0.

But the Pirates got on the board in the top of the eighth inning. Jared Triolo doubled to right field, and Esmerlyn Valdez scored to cut the Colorado lead in half at 2-1. After that, Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer came out and pulled Freeland from the game in exchange for Jaden Hill.

This move didn't work out. 

Hill faced Pirates pinch-hitter Bryan Reynolds, and Reynolds singled to center field. Triolo scored and Pittsburgh tied things up at 2-2. With two outs, Spencer Horwitz was hit by a pitch. Nick Gonzales followed with his first triple this season and Horwitz crossed the plate for a 3-2 Pirates lead.

Now, here comes the rally. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, Freeman singled to right field. Cole Carrigg followed with a single to left field, and Freeman moved up to second base. Braxton Fulford came in to hit for Thompson, and he delivered in the clutch.

Fulford doubled to center field, bringing Carrigg and Freeman home, giving the Rockies a 4-3 lead.

Here's how the ninth played out. The Pirates' Marcell Ozuna led off with a single and was replaced by pinch-runner Henry Davis. Brandon Lowe reached on a fielder's choice and Davis reached third base on a fielding error from Tovar.

Endy Rodríguez walked and Lowe moved to second base. Remember, all of this activity was taking place with nobody out. With the bases loaded, Senzatela struck out Pittsburgh's Tyler Callihan for the first out.

The Pirates still had the bases loaded with one out. Senzatela just needed a good pitch to get Triolo out. Senzatela not only did this, but the Rockies' infield turned a really nifty double play to end the ballgame.

Triolo grounded to Tovar, who threw to second baseman Willi Castro. Castro made a sweet move to get the second out at second base, then whipped a fast throw to first baseman TJ Rumfield. The Pirates challenged Castro's out at second base, believing that his foot might have not been on the base for a forceout.

After the play was reviewed, the call stood and the fireworks were firing off at Coors Field.

Senzatela got the win, now going to 7-0 with a 2.23 ERA. But, well, let's not let Freeland go away without a big-time tip of the cap. Freeland went 7.1 innings, gave up four hits, two earned runs, didn't walk a batter, and struck out eight. One of those eight strikeouts gave Freeland 1,000 career strikeouts as a major-league pitcher.

Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman made sure to get that ball and throw it out of the game. Freeland will want to keep that as a real-time keepsake. Hill, though, suffered his third blown save this season. He went 0.2 innings, giving up two hits, one earned run, and Hill didn't walk a batter or strikeout one.

Pirates starter Bubba Chandler worked six good innings, giving up six hits, two earned runs, walked two, struck out one, and gave up a home run. Reliever Mason Montgomery picked up his second blown save and took the loss, falling to 2-2 overall.

These two teams will go at it again on Saturday night with Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes takes the mound.

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