Rockies’ Coors Field misery continues vs. road-challenged White Sox

The Rockies’ Fourth of July was a Yankee Doodle dud.

White Sox right-hander Adrian Houser made sure of that, pitching eight strong innings in the Sox’s 3-2 victory Friday night at Coors Field.

“We give him lots of credit; he did a great job pounding the strike zone,” said Rockies right-fielder Tyler Freeman, who hit an RBI double in the fifth inning to extend his on-base streak to 19 games. “That’s what he does. He throws that sinker and misses barrels. We couldn’t find a way to get to him.”

The White Sox, who lost a modern-era record 121 games last season, entered the night with a 9-35 road record, worst in the majors. But they bested a Rockies team that now owns a 9-35 home record, also worst in the majors.

The Rockies (20-68), on pace to lose 125 games, are threatening to supplant the White Sox for the most losses in modern baseball history.

Houser (4-2, 1.60 ERA) gave up two unearned runs on four hits. He walked two, struck out six and recorded 10 outs via groundballs.

“Houser pitched exceptionally tonight,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “His sinker kept us on the ground and he got a lot of soft contact.”

Closer Grant Taylor finished the game off in the ninth as the White Sox broke a 17-game losing streak in one-run games. He gave up a two-out single to Mickey Moniak before striking out Ryan McMahon to end the game. McMahon was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts.

The only in-game fireworks were provided by Chicago catcher Edgar Quero, who lofted a one-out solo homer to right off of Antonio Senzatela in the sixth for what turned out to be the game-winning run. It was Quero’s first homer of the season.

For the record, the postgame fireworks brought a sellout crowd of 48,064 to Coors, and plenty of attempts at The Wave.