Rockies Report, Game 19:
ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Entering after two-thirds of an inning and with the Rockies already down 2-0, Chase Dollander squelched the Houston Astros, striking them out nine times while holding them to two walks and a single hit over 5 1/3 innings, giving the offense time to rally and push across three runs to eke out a 3-2 win that allowed Colorado to salvage a win from their seven-game road swing before heading home to face NL West rivals Los Angeles and San Diego.
The afore-mentioned nine Ks were a career-high for Dollander.
Take a bow, Chase!
9⃣ strikeouts (a career high) pic.twitter.com/wpcCKGarGs
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) April 17, 2026
This was Dollander’s third stellar appearance so far this season; held the Phillies and Padres to single runs during appearances that lasted 4 1/3 innings on April 4 and April 9, respectively. In both cases, Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer used an opener, just as he did Thursday night with Juan Mejia.
But this time, Dollander entered and immediately had to douse a fire. The Astros had the afore-mentioned two-run lead and runners on the corners when Dollander entered, but he induced a Cam Smith groundout to escape the first inning without further damage.
“I think he’s been throwing the ball well all year,” Schaeffer told media after the game. “The fastball was overpowering at 100 (miles per hour). The sweeper, the off-speed stuff is all good. He was challenging hitters in the strike zone, just going right at ’em, and that’s what you want to see from him.”
On offense, the Rockies trimmed their strikeouts down to five and walked six times, displaying more patience than through most of the road trip. Hunter Goodman went 2-for-3 with a solo homer — his fifth of the season.
“I thought the offensive performance — even though we only scored three runs — was one of the best of the year for us, the way we were taking balls and firing at pitches in the zone,” Schaeffer said. “We need to do that on a consistent basis, but kudos to the guys in there.”
ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT
Mejia didn’t find his rhythm getting the call as Dollander’s opener, allowing a pair of singles while tossing a wild pitch in his first six pitches. After a pair of strikeouts, the woes returned; he plunked Christian Walker and then yielded a third single of the inning before being relieved after 30 pitches and two-thirds of an inning.
A third-inning run and Goodman’s fourth-inning solo homer took Mejia off the hook, allowing him to leave with no decision to his name.
BITS AND PIECES
IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Victor Vodnik retired Isaac Paredes to seal his second save of the season.
NUMBER TO NOTE: 9 — Runners left on base for the Rockies.
WHAT’S NEXT: A return home and the start of a four-game series with the Dodgers. Tomoyuki Sugano gets the call in Friday night’s series and homestand opener. Tyler Glasnow goes for Los Angeles. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. MDT.
