Not even a four-run inning to reclaim the lead could deflate the Giants monstrous offense on Wednesday. After coming back to take a brief 5-4 lead in the fourth inning, the Rockies blew it when San Francisco responded with a five-run inning of their own on its way to a 10-8 win.
The Giants have now homered in 17 consecutive games, and they hit 10 in the three-game series sweep against the Rockies. With the Mets, Cubs, Padres and Reds all losing on Wednesday, the Giants (71-69) moved to four games out
of the third Wild Card spot. The Rockies, who struck out 11 times in the game, dropped to 39-101 and are 1-5 on their current homestand.
Bad Blood
Matt Chapman was the first Giant out of the dugout and instigated the physical altercation when he pushed Kyle Freeland in Tuesday night’s fight. His actions earned a fine and a suspension, but Chapman appealed the decision. If he had been suspended, he wouldn’t have been allowed to play. But the appeal delays any consequence until it’s upheld or overturned.
So Chapman, earning boos from the Coors Field faithful along with Rafael Devers for Tuesday’s shenanigans, was in the starting lineup on Wednesday. And he took advantage of it, hitting the first pitch he saw, a 93.5-mph fastball from Germán Márquez 450 feet over center field and out of the park. The shot led off the second inning and put the Giants up 1-0.
Márquez was pulled after five, having given up four runs on eight hits with three walks and one strikeout. Luis Peralta came in and it got much worse. After falling down to the Rockies 5-4 after five innings, the Giants immediately climbed back atop the boxscore.
Peralta issued walks to Casey Schmitt and Luis Matos before Patrick Bailey and Heliot Ramos immediately made him pay with back-to-back singles to put the Giants back on top 6-5. Peralta got Devers to line out, but then was pulled for Juan Mejia.
Mejia started strong by striking out Willy Adames, but then ran into problems with the player all Rockies fans really wished was suspended. Chapman hit another homer, this time a three-run shot, to put the Giants up 9-5. Chapman also doubled and walked on the night. Drew Gilbert added a solo shot in the seventh to put San Francisco in double digits.
They Almost Did
The Rockies rallied again in the bottom of the ninth when Kyle Karros hit a one-out single and pinch hitter Mickey Moniak walked. Tyler Freeman singled to load the bases and Ezequiel Tovar followed with a sac fly to score Karros and make it 10-6.
That brought Hunter Goodman to the plate and the All-Star continued his amazing series with a two-run double that cut the Giants lead to 10-8. Goodman went 3-for-5 on the night with three RBI. With two outs and representing the tying run, Jordan Beck struck out to end the game.
On Tuesday and Wednesday combined against the Giants, Goodman went 6-for-9 with seven RBIs, one homer, one double and two runs scored.
Look What You Made Me Do
Robbie Ray had eight strikeouts through the first 4 1/3 innings. That’s eight out of 13 outs by way of strikeout and only three singles. But everything changed in the fifth when the Rockies were down 4-1. Karros got the rally started with a double and Ryan Ritter moved him to third on a groundout.
Freeman then singled to plate Karros and Tovar walked to put runners on first and second. After an eight-pitch at-bat, Goodman singled through the left side, which sent Freeman racing home. Ramos’ throw to the plate made things interesting when Bailey stepped right in the basepath to catch it. Freeman tried to avoid it, but nailed Bailey. Both players fell to the ground before Freeman crawled back to touch the plate to make it 4-3
The Giants challenged the play. The call stood. Freeman had no choice.
Giants coach Bob Melvin was ejected as the trouble between the Rockies and Giants continued to boil.
Back to the game, Beck hit a go-ahead single to score Tovar and Goodman and put the Rockies up 5-4.
Beck’s hit also ended Ray’s night as the former Cy Young winner was pulled after giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.
Death by Singles Cuts
The top of the third inning was rather unpleasant because of the Giants slow-and-steady assault on Márquez. Matos, Bailey, Ramos and Devers hit four consecutive singles to lead off the inning. Luckily, Matos rounded second a little too much and fell down on Bailey’s single, and was tagged out. So Devers’ single only made it 2-0.
Then Willy Adames hit a sac fly to increase San Francisco’s lead to 3-0. Chapman walked before Wilmer Flores added to the single party, driving in Devers to make it 4-0. Gilbert then drew a walk to load the bases. Luckily, Márquez got Schmitt to strike out looking to end the threat.
Three runs by singles was bad, but it could have been much worse if Márquez didn’t leave the bases loaded.
A Little Karma?
In the bottom of the fourth, Tovar got the Rockies first hit of the game with a one-out single. Goodman continued his impressive series with another single to put runners on first and third with one out. After Beck struck out, Brenton Doyle hit a sharp grounder to the left side of the infield. Chapman, playing third base, slid to try to put a glove on it, but kicked it instead. The ball shot into the outfield, giving Doyle a single and scoring Tovar.
The play not only put the Rockies first run on the board, but was also satisfying for bigger reasons, even if it was only one run compared to the four Chapman drove in.
Up Next
The Rockies have a day off on Thursday before hosting the San Diego Padres for a three-game series beginning Friday. Freeland, who only threw eight pitches on Tuesday, will get the start. San Diego has yet to name a pitcher.
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