Reds at Rockies
Kyle Freeland returns to the major leagues on Saturday and hopes to begin a turnaround when the Colorado Rockies host the Cincinnati Reds for the middle contest of their three-game series. Freeland, a 17-game winner last season, went 2-6 with a 7.13 ERA in 12 starts this season before being demoted to Triple-A Albuquerque six weeks ago.
Freeland termed being sent to the minors as "humbling" and manager Bud Black - a former major-league pitcher - has implored the 26-year-old to keep his return engagement in perspective. "Kyle just needs to go out and be Kyle Freeland. Pitch his game," Black told reporters before Friday's game. "And I told him as such. 'You're going to be fired up tomorrow night. It's going to be emotional for you to try to do a tremendous job.' But I tried to temper that a little with our conversation today." David Dahl hit a game-tying homer and Daniel Murphy launched the go-ahead blast in the bottom of the eighth inning on Friday as the Rockies halted their six-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory. Cincinnati's Yasiel Puig was hitless in four at-bats after going 10-for-19 with three homers and six RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Tanner Roark (5-6, 3.51 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Kyle Freeland (2-6, 7.13)
Roark did not factor in the decision in his last turn as he gave up four runs and six hits over 6 2/3 innings against Milwaukee. The 32-year-old served up three homers in the outing after allowing just seven in his first 16 turns. Roark is 1-2 with a 3.71 ERA in four career appearances (three starts) against the Rockies.
Freeland looked like a star on the rise when he finished fourth in the National League Cy Young Award voting last season, but he served up 16 homers in just 59 1/3 innings prior to the demotion. The native of Denver, who is 2-1 with a 6.11 ERA in three career appearances against the Reds, could give Colorado's wild-card fortunes a boost if he can rediscover his form. "This team is going to need everybody, not just me," Freeland, who officially will be recalled prior to Saturday's game, told reporters. "I'm one piece to the entire puzzle. It's not going to rely solely on me. It's going to be an entire team effort if we want to make the postseason again."
WALK-OFFS
1. Reds 2B Scooter Gennett (illness) was scratched from Friday's lineup and replaced by Derek Dietrich, who was hitless in four at-bats.
2. Murphy recorded three hits in the opener and is 5-for-10 over his last three games.
3. Cincinnati activated LHP Wandy Peralta (lat) from the 10-day injured list two days after opening a spot by optioning UTL Josh VanMeter to Triple-A Louisville.