Giants Rally to Defeat Rockies in Denver
DENVER — As with many games this season, there were some warning signs that Saturday might not favor the Giants. They lost an ABS challenge on the very first pitch and quickly found themselves down by the end of the first inning. To add to the concern, Robbie Ray nearly stumbled while covering first base.
But all worries vanished when the Giants’ batters kicked into gear, facing off against a rookie starter at Coors Field, a place known for its hitter-friendly environment.
Just as the Rockies had targeted Logan Webb in the series opener, the Giants answered back against Sean Sullivan, leveling the series with a 6-4 victory.
Bryce Eldridge hit a double and smashed a 458-foot home run into the right-field second deck. Victor Bericoto contributed two doubles down the left line, and he was joined by fellow Giants Herriot Ramos, Casey Schmidt, Willie Adams, and John Hu Lee in a display of powerful hitting.
Eldridge had struggled recently with just seven hits in 45 at-bats since his last home run, which was 12 games ago. Nonetheless, he achieved a new record for the longest home run by a Giants player this season.
The Giants’ seven doubles tied for the second-most in a single game this year, falling just short of their amazing 25-hit victory during their previous visit to this stadium.
Interestingly, they became the first visiting team in Coors Field’s 31-year history to hit seven or more doubles in multiple games, a feat that had taken the Rockies five seasons to accomplish.
San Francisco posted a total of 14 hits, with Luis Arraez standing out with three. He was named one of the Giants’ two All-Stars along with Logan Webb on the same day.
However, the Rockies managed to pull within striking distance against closer Caleb Killian in the ninth. Pinch-hitter TJ Rumfield singled to bring Cole Carrig home, narrowing the Giants’ lead to 6-4 and putting Troy Johnston on base.
Still, no lead felt secure, and the tension heightened as Killian forced Johnston to go down swinging for his eighth save, reminiscent of the drama typically seen against San Francisco’s tricky bullpen.
What This Means
The Giants benefited from a break after Tomoyuki Sugano was scratched from the lineup due to back spasms, with Sullivan stepping in.
Sullivan, a 23-year-old left-handed pitcher, had struggled with an 8.64 ERA in four starts, showcasing the slowest average fastball velocity in the majors (87.8 mph). Remarkably, the Giants didn’t see a fastball above 90 until Sullivan exited the game in the sixth inning.
San Francisco seized the opportunity, scoring all seven of their doubles off Sullivan and giving Ray a 4-0 advantage before the Rockies had a chance to bat.
Who’s Hot
Ray stumbled briefly after tripping while covering first base in the bottom of the first. Yet he managed to make a solid play on Rafael Devers’ throw and recorded the second out before dropping to his knees on the foul ground.
In a twist, Ray allowed his first unearned run since June 10. He became the first Giants starting pitcher since Matt Cain, back in 2006, to start at least 22 innings without an earned run over three consecutive starts.
After a single and a walk were issued, he threw a changeup to Carrig, who sent it near the left field foul pole.
But that was all the Rockies could manufacture against Ray.
Utilizing four pitches aside from his signature four-seamer, he didn’t allow a hit until the last inning, completing six solid innings for his fourth straight quality start.
Who’s Not?
Though it didn’t come back to haunt them, the Giants’ challenges regarding ABS didn’t earn praise. Ramos hit his helmet on the very first pitch, and the call was a close one, momentarily leaving the score in a bit of suspense.
Bericoto pushed to finish the inning on the last pitch of his at-bat, which had the potential to change a strikeout into a full count with a runner in scoring position.
Unfortunately, the Giants’ batters misjudged their instincts, leaving them to rely on the whims of the home plate umpire for the remainder of the game.
Next Matchup
Tyler Mahle (1-8, 5.67) is set to pitch in the rubber match against Tanner Gordon (0-2, 6.69). As a note, all games this Independence Day weekend will be aired nationally on NBC/Peacock, with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 PM PT.
Giants fans can still catch the commentary from Dave Fleming and Hunter Pence during the game.
