DENVER — Colorado left-hander Kyle Freeland http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-amed-rosario-jersey , who has been remarkably consistent all season and particularly effective at Coors Field, will start Friday for the surging Rockies against the Washington Nationals.The Rockies took another step Thursday toward making the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in their 26-year history with a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday. A four-game sweep of the Phillies has extended Colorado’s winning streak to a season-high-tying seven games and reduced their magic number for a postseason appearance to two.In quest of their first National League West title, the Rockies (89-70) lead the division by one game over the Los Angeles Dodgers (88-71), who were off Thursday. The Rockies are two games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals for the second NL wild-card spot. The Cardinals were also idle Thursday.Article continues below ...Freeland (16-7, 2.84) will oppose Joe Ross (0-1, 4.09), who will make his third start for the Nationals since returning from Tommy John surgery in July 2017.Freeland is 7-0, 2.10 in his past 10 starts, nine of which the Rockies have won. The Rockies are 22-10 in games started by Freeland, who has recorded 10 consecutive quality starts and 23 this season.He’s 9-2, 2.36 in 14 starts at Coors Field and ranks third in home ERA among NL pitchers, trailing only Jacob deGrom of the New York Mets (1.54) and the Cardinals’ Miles Mikolas (2.17).Freeland Devin Mesoraco Jersey , 25, was 0-3, 5.85 after his first four starts this season. At that point, he and catcher Chris Iannetta realized Freeland had to come inside more often with his four-seam fastball to right-handed hitters. At the same time, Freeland was beginning to get better results from his changeup as a result of following a suggestion from bullpen coach Darren Holmes and dragging his left toe hard when throwing the pitch to take velocity off it.After those first four starts, Freeland has gone 16-4, 2.50 in his subsequent 28 starts, limiting opponents to a .229 average and .629 OPS.“It was early in the season,” Freeland said. “I knew there was a long way to go, and there’s no reason to wash this season just because my first four starts weren’t what I wanted them to be.“There were things I had to realize quickly and I did with the help of Chris and our pitching coaches, realizing we had to stay with my strengths. We have to pitch inside. We have to make the hitters uncomfortable. We can’t just let them get extension all the time and hope that that two-seam (fastball) just gets hit in the ground every single time, because that’s just not going to happen over the course of 30-32 starts.”Freeland is 1-0 http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-jason-vargas-jersey , 3.72 in two starts against Washington. Ross is 0-0, 9.64 in one four-inning relief appearance against the Rockies on April 25, 2017, at Coors Field.Ross gave up four runs (three earned) in six innings Friday in a 95-pitch start against the Mets and was the losing pitcher as the Nationals fell 4-2.“The uncertainty of how it will end, if you’ll be back, was the toughest part, I think, for me,” Ross told the Washington Post before his first start for the Nationals earlier this month, referring to his comeback from Tommy John surgery. “But I kind of just went day-by-day, and I am back here now, so it paid off in the end.” NEW YORK (AP) — The Chicago White Sox are more concerned with building confidence for next season than this year’s results. Playing fundamentally sound http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-pedro-martinez-jersey , winning baseball against the major league’s second-best team is a good place to start.Carlos Rodon pitched two-hit ball over seven innings, Yoan Moncada doubled in two and surging Chicago beat the New York Yankees 6-2 on Monday night for its fourth straight win.Rodon (6-3) allowed a two-run shot to Gleyber Torres but was strong otherwise, and Chicago’s bullpen closed out a three-hitter. The White Sox have won 10 of 13 and clinched their first winning month of the season by improving to 15-10 in August.“I think that they trust what they’re doing out there right now,” manager Rick Renteria said. “They’re having a lot of confidence playing the game. I think they’re trusting their instincts.”Rodon is 5-0 with a 1.84 ERA in his past nine starts. The 25-year-old left-hander hasn’t lost since June 30.“This month has been refreshing for us, the way we’ve been playing,” Rodon said. “It’s something to look forward to and just try to carry it out the rest of the season, and transition that into spring training and into next season as well.”New York (83-48) missed an opportunity to gain ground on the idle Red Sox, falling 6 1/2 games back of the AL East leaders. Coming off a four-game sweep in Baltimore, the Yankees had won eight of nine and shaved 4 1/2 games off Boston’s lead in a span of eight days prior to Monday.Yankees manager Aaron Boone thought his club was a little sluggish after playing a late game Sunday night.“I think just coming off a road trip where you got day-night doubleheaders and you’re getting in in the middle of the night,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Unfortunately, that rears its head a little bit, but you got to be able to fight through that.”Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka (9-5) dodged trouble early Giancarlo Stanton Jersey , including a no-out, bases-loaded jam in the fourth. He escaped that by striking out two before Moncada’s groundout.Chicago broke through in the sixth on a mix of luck and timely hitting. With one out, Daniel Palka tapped a broken-bat dribbler up the third base line for a single. After a walk to Matt Davidson, Omar Narvaez made contact on a check swing that rolled less than halfway toward third for another infield hit.Moncada then grounded a two-run double into right-center field to tie it at 2. Nicky Delmonico followed with a sacrifice fly, scoring Narvaez for a 3-2 advantage.“I think I was able to control myself better in the fourth inning and it was the same type of situation in the sixth,” Tanaka said through a translator. “In my mind, I’m obviously trying to get through that inning. I think just overthrowing from being a little too amped up.”Tanaka allowed four runs and matched a career high with ten hits over seven innings.Tim Anderson brought home Adam Engel in the ninth on an error by first baseman Luke Voit and later scored on a wild pitch.Torres broke a scoreless tie in the fourth by crushing an 0-1 changeup an estimated 444 feet over the center field wall into Monument Park, scoring Miguel Andujar with his 20th home run.Andujar and Torres are the first pair of rookies in Yankees history to reach that mark. Per Elias, they are just the eighth set of rookie teammates to both slug 20 homers, and the first since Cincinnati’s Joey Votto and Jay Bruce in 2008.GO GODZILLAFormer Yankees slugger Hideki Matsui was honored before the game, presented with sterling silver cuff links in honor of his induction as the youngest member of the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. Looking sharp in a blue suit sans tie, the 2009 World Series MVP flashed a big smile and waved while receiving a warm ovation from the crowd.SPEED IN SCRANTONThe Yankees signed outfielder Quintin Berry and assigned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 33-year-old has stolen 29 bases in 132 big league games http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-derek-jeter-jersey , most notably serving as a pinch-running specialist for world champion Boston in the 2013 postseason.HALLOWED GROUNDAnderson made a dazzling play deep in the hole at shortstop in the second inning, firing across the diamond to retire Kyle Higashioka with a move reminiscent of former Yankees captain and current Miami Marlins owner Derek Jeter.“Just being able to share that spot that he played,” Anderson said. “It’s an awesome feeling to take shortstop at Yankee Stadium.”TRAINER’S ROOMYankees: C Gary Sanchez (strained right groin) homered on the first pitch he saw to kick off a rehab assignment with Triple-A. He was 2 for 4 and caught for seven innings. … RF Aaron Judge (fractured right wrist) participated in baserunning and fielding drills Monday but has yet to swing a bat or throw a ball at full intensity. … SS Didi Gregorius (left heel contusion) hit off a tee and was expected to see a doctor Monday … LHP Aroldis Chapman (left knee tendinitis) is showing “a little bit of improvement” after receiving a platelet injection Friday, according to manager Aaron Boone.UP NEXTWhite Sox: RHP James Shields (5-15, 4.59 ERA) has not won on the road since opening day at Kansas City, sporting a 6.13 ERA away from home during that span. The 13-year veteran is tied with Baltimore’s Alex Cobb for most losses in the majors.Yankees: RHP Lance Lynn (8-9, 4.84 ERA) lost for the first time in five appearances since being acquired from Minnesota, allowing five runs over 5 1/3 innings in Miami last week.