Rockies Reliever Dollander Shines in Win Over Astros

Chase Dollander's career-high 9 strikeouts in 5.1 innings of relief help Colorado salvage series finale

Apr. 17, 2026 at 4:22am

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An abstract, energetic painting featuring bold, neon-colored brushstrokes depicting the dynamic motion of a baseball pitcher, batter, and ball, conveying the raw excitement and intensity of the Rockies' comeback victory.Dollander's electric relief outing and Goodman's power surge propel the Rockies to a crucial win over the Astros.Houston Today

Chase Dollander recorded a career-high 9 strikeouts in 5.1 innings of scoreless relief, and Hunter Goodman hit his third home run of the series as the Colorado Rockies defeated the Houston Astros 3-2 on Thursday. Dollander entered with two outs in the 1st inning and was exceptional, inducing a key groundout to end the frame before striking out 5 batters in a row. The Rockies rallied from an early 2-0 deficit, tying the game on Goodman's solo shot in the 4th before taking the lead for good on Tyler Freeman's RBI single in the 5th.

Why it matters

The Rockies' victory salvages the finale of a 3-game interleague series against the defending World Series champion Astros, avoiding a sweep. Dollander's dominant relief outing provides a boost to Colorado's bullpen, which has been a strength early in the season. The win keeps the Rockies within striking distance in the NL West division race.

The details

Dollander (2-1) allowed just 1 hit and 2 walks while striking out a career-high 9 batters over 5.1 scoreless innings. He averaged 99.4 mph on his 29 four-seam fastballs and 98.8 mph on his 19 sinkers. The right-hander entered with two outs in the 1st inning after opener Juan Mejia surrendered 2 runs on 3 hits. Dollander was exceptional from the start, inducing an inning-ending groundout in the 1st and striking out Jose Altuve to end the 2nd. He then recorded 5 consecutive strikeouts before allowing a 1-out single in the 4th. Dollander stranded 2 runners in scoring position in the 6th with back-to-back strikeouts. Yordan Alvarez and Joey Loperfido gave the Astros an early 2-0 lead with RBI singles in the 1st, but the Rockies rallied, with Goodman's solo shot tying the game in the 4th before Tyler Freeman's RBI single in the 5th gave Colorado the lead for good.

  • Dollander entered the game with two outs in the bottom of the 1st inning.
  • Dollander recorded 5 consecutive strikeouts between the 2nd and 4th innings.
  • Goodman hit his 3rd home run of the series in the 4th inning to tie the game.
  • Freeman's go-ahead RBI single came in the 5th inning.

The players

Chase Dollander

A right-handed relief pitcher for the Colorado Rockies who recorded a career-high 9 strikeouts over 5.1 scoreless innings to earn the win.

Hunter Goodman

A Rockies outfielder who hit his 4th home run of the season to tie the game in the 4th inning.

Tyler Freeman

A Rockies infielder who drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the 5th inning.

Yordan Alvarez

An Astros slugger who drove in one of Houston's two runs with an RBI single in the 1st inning.

Joey Loperfido

An Astros outfielder who also had an RBI single in the 1st inning to give Houston an early lead.

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What they’re saying

“Chase Dollander was exceptional from the onset. He induced Cam Smith to roll into an inning-ending groundout with runners on the corners in the first, and he recorded a called third strike on Jose Altuve to end the second after Yainer Diaz hit into a double play that erased Taylor Trammell.”

— Field Level Media

What’s next

The Rockies will look to build on this series-salvaging win as they return home to face the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers in a 4-game set starting on Friday.

The takeaway

Dollander's dominant relief outing and Goodman's timely power hitting helped the Rockies avoid a sweep against the defending champion Astros, keeping Colorado within striking distance in the NL West race. The Rockies' bullpen depth has been a strength early this season, and this win showcases their ability to win close games against top competition.