Colorado Rockies: 3 pitching numbers to know from the first 3 games

The second number to know from the weekend is 13.

In a stretch from the fourth to eighth innings on Sunday, Colorado pitchers retired 13 consecutive Rangers. That stretches from a fourth-inning leadoff walk to Todd Frazier off starter Kyle Freeland to Nick Solak’s two-out single in the eighth off reliever Yency Almonte.

That single would be the only hit for the Rangers over the game’s final six innings as closer Wade Davis worked a perfect ninth to record his second save in two days.

While Freeland grabbed many of the pitching headlines on Sunday, the work on the mound from Almonte and Davis was an extremely positive sign for the Rockies. Both relievers had plenty of question marks attached to them heading into the season. However, on Sunday, they combined for three scoreless frames of one-hit ball while issuing no walks and striking out three.

Yes, it’s early in the season. Yes, it’s only three games. However, Colorado’s pitchers have combined for a 1.73 ERA and allowed just 16 hits while compiling a 1.077 WHIP in 26 innings of work. Those numbers are encouraging to say the least for a team that needed a strong start to the season to bolster thoughts of a potential playoff run. They are also encouraging for a team that has arguably its best reliever (Scott Oberg) on the injured list.

With a 2-1 mark, it’s on to Oakland where Antonio Senzatela and German Marquez will make the start on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, for the Rockies.