Freeland, Story propel Rockies to 3-1 win over Nationals

DENVER (AP) — Kyle Freeland efficiently pitched into the seventh inning before running into trouble, Trevor Story lined a long solo homer and the Colorado Rockies snapped a five-game Coors Field skid with a 3-1 win over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.

Freeland (7-8) was cruising along until the seventh, when he loaded the bases and walked in a run with two outs to make it 2-1. He turned the ball over to reliever Tyler Kinley, who got Alcides Escobar to fly out and end the threat.

The left-handed Freeland kept slugger Juan Soto and the Nationals from the timely hit over 6 2/3 innings, allowing one run while striking out three and walking four. Freeland has given up three earned runs or less in 15 of his last 18 starts.

Carlos Estévez pitched the ninth to earn his 10th save in 16 chances.

Soto went 0 for 4 and dropped to .318. He trails the Dodgers' Trea Turner in the NL batting race.

Patrick Corbin (9-16) tied a season-high with nine strikeouts as he threw six innings. He allowed two runs — an RBI double by Ryan McMahon in the fourth and Story’s 24th homer of the season in the fifth.

Brendan Rodgers added an insurance run with an RBI double in the seventh.

Story connected on a slider from Corbin that went 475 feet, according to Statcast. It was the second-longest homer of the season by the Rockies, behind McMahon’s 478-foot blast on May 15 against Cincinnati.

As he circled the bases, Story received a round of applause. His days in a Rockies uniform could be numbered. The shortstop who was a first-round pick by Colorado in 2011 is set to become a free agent.

He hasn’t completely closed the door on a return to the Mile High City.

“The most fair way to say it is no teams are out of it,” Story said. “That’s as...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Freeland-Story-propel-Rockies-to-3-1-win-over-16495257.php