The Colorado Rockies battled back from an early deficit Thursday afternoon in Houston, but once again found themselves on the wrong end of a one-run decision. A pair of home runs by Christian Walker, including the go-ahead shot in the eighth inning, lifted the Astros to a 4–3 victory at Daikin Park. The loss sends Colorado to another series defeat as frustrations over missed opportunities continue to mount.

Rockies starter Kyle Freeland has made a career out of grinding through tough innings, but the opening frame in Houston was one he’d like to have back. On just his seventh pitch of the game, Jose Altuve turned on a fastball and launched it into the left-field seats for a solo home run. Walker followed immediately with a blast of his own, putting the Astros up 2–0.

The rough start didn’t end there. In the second inning, César Salazar lined an RBI single to right field, extending Houston’s lead to 3–0. To Freeland’s credit, he steadied himself from that point forward, retiring 12 of the next 15 batters he faced. By the time he exited after six innings, his line showed three runs allowed on eight hits with six strikeouts. It was a quality start by definition, but the early damage loomed large.

Colorado’s offense, which has been up and down all season, refused to roll over. In the third inning, they scratched across their first run when Mickey Moniak grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Braxton Fulford. In the fourth, Ezequiel Tovar cut the deficit to one with a towering solo homer to left. The following inning, rookie outfielder Yanquiel Fernández tied the game at 3–3 with a solo shot of his own, the second of his big league career.

The Rockies nearly took the lead in the fifth inning. With Tyler Freeman on second, Kyle Karros lined a ball to right field but Freeman was thrown out at home, ending the inning. It would not be their last wasted opportunity. The Rockies left 10 runners on base in the game, finishing just 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

The decisive blow came in the eighth inning. With the game still tied, Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer turned to left-hander Luis Peralta out of the bullpen. On his very first pitch, Walker jumped all over a fastball and deposited it into the Crawford Boxes in left. It was his second homer of the afternoon, and it pushed Houston back in front, 4–3.

From there, Houston’s bullpen closed the door. Bryan King earned the win after a clean eighth inning, while Bryan Abreu worked around a two-out single in the ninth to record his fourth save of the season.

For Colorado, there were positives. Tovar and Fernández both homered, continuing to show signs of growth as key pieces of the franchise’s future. Freeland, after his rocky start, delivered six competitive innings that kept the Rockies in the game. And the team showed resilience in erasing an early three-run hole.

But in the end, the same shortcomings that have haunted the Rockies all season came back to bite them again. Missed chances with runners in scoring position, defensive miscues at critical moments, and one mistake pitch too many from the bullpen spelled the difference in a winnable game.

The Rockies will now head home to open a series against the Chicago Cubs. Germán Márquez is slated to come off the injured list and make his long-awaited return to the rotation, facing off against Cubs rookie right-hander Cade Horton.