Colorado Rockies: Arguing over the best-pitched game in franchise history

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DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 17: Tom Murphy #23 of the Colorado Rockies congratulates Jon Gray #55 of the Colorado Rockies after Gray’s complete game shutout against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field on September 17, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. Colorado won 8-0.(Photo by Joe Mahoney/Getty Images) /

Days without baseball combined with limited activities outside the house make for the perfect combination to argue over some of the best moments in Colorado Rockies history.

A recent article on ESPN.com detailing the best pitching performance for every Major League Baseball team has become a point of contention between me and several Colorado Rockies fans/friends in the Twitter DMs. The article states that, based on Game Score, Jon Gray‘s masterful 16-strikeout shutout of the San Diego Padres in 2016 (producing a Game Score of 95) was the best-pitched game in Colorado Rockies history.

On the surface, it’s hard to argue with that. After all, it was a magical evening at Coors Field in a September contest that didn’t really matter to either team … but the Gray Wolf was dealing that night in a game for the Rockies record books.

So yes, by number of strikeouts and by Game Score, it was an incredible outing. No argument there. But, taking everything into consideration, was it the best of the best for the Rockies? There are some other candidates we have been discussing in DMs so now we’re asking you if Gray’s game was the best … or was it one of the others we’ve been arguing over?

Let’s introduce you to the candidates.

CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 02: Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies stands on the pitcher’s mound in the fourth inning against the Chicago Cubs during the National League Wild Card Game at Wrigley Field on October 2, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

This is my hill to die on, and I know I’ll get plenty of folks ready to take me down on this one. However, hear me out. I think Kyle Freeland‘s performance in the 2018 Wild Card Game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field deserves the top honor.

Yes, I know the Game Score for Freeland in that contest was just 71. Yes, I know Freeland only went 6.2 innings and didn’t end up getting the decision. But, to me, there’s a lot more to a historic pitching performance than just one statistic.

Think back to the circumstances surrounding that game under the lights in chilly Chicago. Both the Cubs and Rockies had lost in Game 163, meaning they each were just short of grabbing a division title. For the Rockies, it would have been the first NL West crown in franchise history. With the loss in Los Angeles, Colorado was forced to fly to Chicago to get ready to face the Cubs.

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Being on the road in a one-game playoff brought back memories of the year before in Arizona when the Diamondbacks ended Colorado’s season with a Wild Card Game loss.

There were all sorts of things going against Freeland and the Rockies in that game, but the now-26-year-old southpaw came out firing, scattering four hits and walking just one while striking out six in 6.2 shutout innings. With Colorado scoring in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly by Nolan Arenado, Freeland’s pitching allowed the Rockies to keep a tenuous 1-0 lead throughout his time on the mound.

Sitting in the press box at Wrigley Field, the energy inside that stadium that night is still hard for me to explain. However, Freeland kept his cool and helped deliver one of the biggest victories in Rockies history. To me, that earns kudos as the best of the best because this game took place under a national microscope rather than a regular-season game that mattered little to either team.

By the way, if we were doing a “best relief pitcher outing in Rockies history” story, Scott Oberg‘s four-strikeout outing covering every bit of his 1.1 innings to slam the door on the Cubs would be way, way up there, in my mind at least.

OK, I’ve made my pitch (pardon the pun). Now let’s move on to another candidate for the best of the best from another current Rockies pitcher.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – APRIL 14: German Marquez #48 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Oracle Park on April 14, 2019 in San Francisco, California. The Colorado Rockies defeated the San Francisco Giants 4-0. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images) /

After starting the 2019 season 2-0, the Colorado Rockies were 3-12 on April 14 when they took the field on Sunday afternoon in San Francisco, trying to avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the Giants.

German Marquez made sure that sweep wouldn’t happen, throwing a one-hit shutout and needing just 105 pitches to help the Rockies record a 4-0 victory. Marquez struck out nine and didn’t allow a hit until Evan Longoria singled with one out in the eighth. That and hitting Kevin Pillar with a pitch were the only mistakes Marquez made on the day in a performance that earned him a 94 Game Score.

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Some will argue that this was the best outing in Rockies history, knowing how badly the Rockies needed a win and that Marquez was working on a no-hitter late in the game. However, as I’ve heard mentioned several times in arguments, it was also a game that ended up being a footnote in Colorado’s disappointing 71-91 campaign. One friend also pointed out that the Giants were hitting just .208 as a team coming into that Sunday game.

So was that the best? Or was it Freeland? Or was it Gray? Or was it one of the others we’ve compiled on the next page?

17 Jun 1998: Darryl Kile #57 of the Colorado Rockies in action during a game against the San Francisco Giants at 3Com Park in San Francisco, California. The Giants defeated the Rockies 6-3. Credit: Otto Greule Jr./Allsport (Getty Images) /

We have gone all over the place in our arguments with which game is the best-pitched in Rockies franchise history. One friend will start and end every discussion by talking about the no-hitter thrown by Ubaldo Jimenez in Atlanta on April 17, 2010.

With a Game Score of 88, Jimenez didn’t allow a hit … but did walk six batters. Through his first 83 pitches (five innings), Jimenez had 42 balls and 41 strikes.

He also got some defensive help from Dexter Fowler with an amazing running catch in the seventh on what looked to be a Troy Glaus hit to keep the historic outing going cleanly.

There was also Darryl Kile‘s 10-inning (yes, you read that right) shutout performance on the road against the San Diego Padres on September 20, 1998. He needed just 102 pitches to complete the gem, striking out seven while walking two and scattering three hits and pushing him to a 91 Game Score.

How about Tyler Chatwood‘s two-hit, complete game shutout of the Giants in San Francisco on April 15, 2017, registering a Game Score of 86?

What about Kyle Freeland’s near no-hitter at Coors Field against the Chicago White Sox on July 9, 2017? That produced a Game Score of 87 with just one hit, three walks, and nine strikeouts in 8.1 innings of work.

Next. Starting a countdown of the top 50 Rockies of all time. dark

Yes, there have been plenty of top-notch pitching performances for the Rockies through the years, but which one is the best of the best? Let us know what you think in the comments below. I’m still sticking with Freeland in Chicago. What about you?

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Days without baseball combined with limited activities outside the house make for the perfect combination to argue over some of the best moments in Colorado Rockies history.

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