Initially, it looked like a blowout: A five-run Houston Astros third inning that saw the Colorado Rockies going to the bullpen early. However, the Rockies are nothing if not persistent, and they made a game of it.
Ultimately, they lost, 6-5, but there were some positive moments.
“The guys never quit,” said interim manager Warren Schaeffer after the game. “They keep doing that.”
The offense persisted — a lot
The Rockies got off to a quick start with Hunter Goodman taking a Colton Gordon first-pitch four-seamer 441 feet, giving the Rockies a 1-0 lead.
However, notorious Rockies killer Christian Walker (formerly of the Arizona Diamondbacks) singled to bring home Cam Smith, tying the game. (Although Walker has struggled with the Astros, he reached base in every at-bat tonight.)
The Astros took the lead in the third, in part because of a Chase Dollander throwing error that allowed Mauricio Dubón to advance and eventually score. A Victor Caratini grand slam (his second at Coors Field) off a hanging curveball made the score 6-1.
However, the Astros did not score again.
The Rockies started closing the gap in the third. Hunter Goodman scored off a Thairo Estrada sacrifice fly to make the score 6-2.
That chipping away continued in the fourth. Ryan Ritter singled and scored on a Tyler Freeman double. (Freeman now has a 16-game on-base streak.)
The Rockies scratched out another run in the fifth as Brenton Doyle brought home Jordan Beck, making the score 6-4.
However, Doyle was out on the next play on a seeming catch by Jake Meyers that was ruled not-a-catch and led to an 8-6-4 out.
“I thought Meyers did a fantastic job of selling that,” Schaeffer said. “Kudos to Meyers.”
Following a Michael Toglia single, Colton Gordon was knocked out of the game. He finished his evening after 4 2⁄3 IP, giving up nine hits, four for runs (all earned), two walks, and three strikeouts on 87 pitches. It was a persistent, if unsexy, Rockies offense that finished Gordon’s evening.
Still, the Rockies were unable to score after the fifth as the Astros kept sending lefties to the mound: Steven Okert, Bennet Sousa, Bryan King. Finally in the eighth inning, the Rockies faced a righty, Bryan Abreu. This allowed interim manager Warren Schaeffer to diversify his lineup, but it did not matter.
Josh Hader entered the game in pursuit of his 24th consecutive save and promptly gave up a home run to — who else? — Hunter Goodman, making the score 6-5. (That was his 16th home run.)
“It was good to have Goody back, obviously,” Schaeffer said.
Jordan Beck followed that with the game-tying single. However, Doyle struck out, ending the game.
Worth noting, Hunter Goodman wasn’t the only in-the-zone Rockie.
Jordan Beck had himself a night, logging the first five-hit game of his career. He is the second Rockie with five hits in a game this season. (Ezequiel Tovar had the first one against the D-backs.)
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Rockies finished the evening with five runs on 12 hits. They walked twice and struck out ten times.
Not Chase Dollander’s night
Dollander got off to a good start, sitting down the first three batters he faced.
However, after the first inning, Dollander allowed the lead-off hitters to get on base, and things fell apart in the third.
After 69 pitches (45 for strikes), his evening was over. The Caratini home run was the 15th Dollander has surrendered this season. He has pitched 65 innings.
Dollander finished the game with 2 2⁄3 IP, giving up seven hits for six runs (all earned), and one K. His ERA is 6,65.
Schaeffer commented of Dollander’s performance, “Just overall, the command wasn’t there.” However, Dollander evaluated his performance differently, seeing the collapse as the result of one bad pitch to Caratini: “A terrible pitch at a terrible location.”
Dollander also made his sixth error.
Rough night for RHP Chase Dollander: 2.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 1 K.
Dollander’s error in the third tied Brady Singer (6, 2021) for the most by a pitcher since the start of 2016.
The six errors also tie Armando Reynoso (1993) for most by a #Rockies pitcher in a single season.
— Patrick Lyons (@PatrickDLyons) July 2, 2025
The bullpen was nails
With Dollander lasting fewer than three innings, the pressure was on the bullpen.
“There was a ton of good stuff from our club,” Schaeffer said, “the bullpen being number one.”
If there was hero tonight, it was Jimmy Herget, whose entrance settled the game down and gave the offense room to breathe. He finished off the third by striking out Cooper Hummel and then faced six other batters, going 2 1⁄3 innings, giving up no hits and striking out four on just 22 pitches.
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Taking Herget’s place on the mound in the sixth was Angel Chivilli, who pitched one inning. His final line was one hit, one walk, and one strikeout. Though he had to navigate traffic, in the end, it did not matter.
That opened the door for the Rockies Iron Man, Jake Bird, who made quick work of the seventh, giving up no hits and striking out one.
Juan Mejia handled the eighth, facing fourth batters and getting three outs while giving up no hits.
The ninth inning went to Victor Vodnik. He ended up with traffic after allowing a Dubón single and then walking Meyers. However, he struck out Altuve and Smith.
The bullpen went six innings, gave up two hits, zero runs, and struck out eight.
Coming next
The Astros are now 51-34 while the Rockies fall to 19-66.
Join us tomorrow at 6:40 pm for Game 2 when Hunter Brown will face Austin Gomber.
See you then.
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