The close of the first half is mercilessly almost upon us — there’s just one more game to get through this morning, but luckily it’s an early one! The Colorado Rockies will face the Cincinnati Reds one more time in a rubber match after being walked off 4-3 last night for the fifth time this season. They have played in three other rubber games — May 25 vs. the New York Mets, May 18th at the Arizona Diamondbacks, and March 30 at the Tampa Bay Rays — and are 0-3.

One positive thing to keep an eye on this morning is Tyler Freeman’s on-base streak. The utilityman has reached base in a career-best 25-straight games since June 13, which is the longest active streak in the majors and the longest by a Rockie since Elehuris Montero’s 26-game streak in 2023. In fact, since May 30, Freeman has reached base in 35 of 36 games, including all 33 starts (he went 0-for-1 in a pinch-hit appearance on June 12). He’s batting leadoff and playing in right field this morning, so we’ll see if he’s able to keep the streak alive.

Austin Gomber (0-2, 5.92 ERA) will pitch for the Rockies in this final game of the first half. In his last outing against the Boston Red Sox on Monday, Gomber was tagged with the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits with one walk and a season-high five strikeouts in just 4 2⁄3 innings. He retired the first two batters in the bottom of the fifth before allowing a triple, a two-run homer, and a single before finally being lifted from the game. Gomber has made nine career appearances (five starts) against the Reds, going 1-2 with a 5.17 ERA. In three starts since joining the Rockies in 2021, he is 0-2 (Rockies 1-2) with a 7.98 ERA.

Gomber will face Reds’ right-hander Nick Martinez (6-9, 4.85 ERA). In his last outing on July 8th, Martinez got demolished by the Miami Marlins in a 12-2 loss. He allowed a career-high 10 runs on seven hits with just two strikeouts and three walks. Of the 10 runs allowed, seven came in the third inning — also a career-high for runs allowed in a single inning. On June 27th, Martinez carried a no-hit bid into the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres, but old friend Elias Díaz smacked a double as the second batter of the inning to break it up. Martinez has faced the Rockies 15 times (five starts) and holds a 1-2 record and 4.78 ERA.

Which version of Martinez will the Rockies face today? Can they squeeze out one final win before the All-Star Break? Tune in to find out!

First Pitch: 11:40 a.m. MDT

TV: Rockies.tv

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

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