The Colorado Rockies will have a chance to split the road series when they face the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday afternoon in the final game of a four-game series.
The Rockies won 6-5 on Wednesday for their 13th victory in 46 road games.
Sam Hilliard hit two home runs, his first since returning in a Rockies uniform after spending the 2023 season with Atlanta. He spent the first three months of this season with Triple-A Albuquerque before Colorado promoted him in late June.
“It’s good to be back with the Rockies,” Hilliard said. “It feels like home to me here. It feels really, really good. I’ve been working hard and it paid off (Wednesday). Hopefully I can keep this momentum going and get a chance to help this team win.”
Hilliard appeared in 214 games with the Rockies from 2019-22, totaling 29 home runs, but hit just three home runs in 40 games with the Braves last year.
Colorado starting pitcher Kyle Freeland beat the Reds on Wednesday, and the Rockies beat Cincinnati for the first time in six tries this season.
Freeland gave up eight hits and two runs in 6 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out nine batters. It was his first win of the year in his eighth start.
The Rockies are scheduled to send another left-hander, Austin Gomber (2-5, 4.47 ERA), to the mound in Thursday’s afternoon game.
Gomber threw a season-high 99 pitches and allowed just one run in seven innings against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday to earn his first win since May 15. He allowed six hits, none walked and struck out three.
Gomber has appeared in eight games against the Reds, including four starts, with a 1-1 record and a 4.78 ERA.
Cincinnati will field right-hander Hunter Greene (5-4, 3.45), who was recently selected to his first All-Star Game as a replacement for injured Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow.
“Hopefully I’ll get more opportunities and enjoy some moments like this,” Green said. “It’s exciting to be able to do it this early in my career.”
Green was dominant on Saturday against the Detroit Tigers, allowing just three hits in seven innings while striking out seven and walking two.
In games he has started, the Reds have averaged 3.39 runs per game, the third-lowest mark among qualified major league starting pitchers through Tuesday’s games.
Green was 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA in two starts against the Rockies in Denver.
The Reds moved right-handed pitcher Graham Ashcraft from his option at Triple-A Louisville to the 15-day disabled list before Wednesday’s game because of soreness in his right elbow.
Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said the team will wait to see how he responds to the next two weeks of rest before deciding on the next course of action.
Cincinnati rookie Rece Hines had another impressive game on Wednesday, hitting a home run and an RBI single in his first two major league games over the previous two days.
Austin Slater made his Cincinnati debut in center field and went 1-for-3. He was acquired from the San Francisco Giants on Sunday for left-handed relief pitcher Alex Young.
–Field Level Media
