Rockies' Kyle Freeland struggles again, while Diamondacks' Merrill Kelly dominates at Coors Field

Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post on May 15, 2026

Published in Baseball

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

DENVER — The charge: The Rockies remain an extremely flawed baseball team. The evidence: A 9-1 loss to Arizona on Friday night at Coors Field in front of an announced crowd of 27,557.

Cue the Law & Order sound effects.

This is their story: Rockies veteran left-hander Kyle Freeland, who has struggled mightily since coming back from the injured list on April 28, gave up six runs on five hits in the first inning. The Diamondbacks had some bloop hits in the inning, but Freeland also walked two batters.

All told, the lefty gave up seven earned runs on eight hits with four walks, including three walks to former Rockies star third baseman Nolan Arenado. Freeland is now 1-5 with a 7.22 ERA.

Freeland’s slump is troubling. Since returning from the shoulder injury that landed him on the IL, Freeland is 0-4 with an 11.50 ERA in four starts.

Meanwhile, Diamondbacks veteran right-hander Merrill Kelly toyed with the Rockies en route to a rare complete game. He gave up four hits, walked none and struck out two. He threw 100 pitches and let our a victory shout after as he walked off the mound in the ninth.

The Rockies, who slid to 7-11 at Coors Field after losing there for the seventh time in eight games, simply never figured out Kelly, who entered the night 2-3 with a 7.62 ERA.

Hunter Goodman blasted a two-out solo homer to left off Kelly in the first inning (his 11th), but Colorado barely laid a glove on Kelly after that. Kyle Karros hit a one-out single to center in the third, and Ezequiel Tovar lined a two-out double to right-center in the fifth.

Outfielder Sterlin Thompson, called up from Triple-A Albuquerque on Friday, made his big league debut in the eighth inning as a pinch hitter. He grounded out to first base on Kelly’s first-pitch curveball.