Giants get “Coors Field’d,” Lose 9-2 on Four Homers to Rockies
By Neil Povio
Today’s Giants game had been tied or a one-run game until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Coors Field stuck its ugly head out, and the Rockies scored four runs on two back-to-back home runs. The first homer was a three-run shot by Nolan Arenado, and then Corey Dickerson followed with his second solo blast of the game.
The Giants scored both their first and only two runs via Buster Posey. Posey hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning, and in the top of the fifth inning, Posey hit a two out RBI single.
Coors Field is just plain not a fun place to play. Scores change too fast and it’s almost a joke being a pitcher trying to pitch there with how live the park is. The Giants made a come back victory yesterday after being down 6-0 earlier in the game, but trying to ask them to come back by another deficit like today late in the game is tough to ask and didn’t happen.
The Rockies added another run on another home run in the sixth inning when Michael McKenry hit a solo homer to give the Rockies a 6-2 lead. The Rockies then hit two more singles, and Bruce Bochy finally took Ryan Vogelsong out of the game. He then brought in Juan Guitierrez, who had just recently received a cortisone shot less than a week ago. Guitierrez allowed a triple to score two more runs to make it 8-2, and then a sacrifice fly made it 9-2 Rockies.
Vogelsong looked awful today. He gave up a career-high four home runs, eight runs, 10 hits, two walks, and five strike outs in five innings. Gary Brown made his MLB debut in the top of the seventh inning when he pinch-hit and flew out to left field.
Erik Cordier also made his MLB Debut in the bottom of the seventh inning and he was reaching 101 MPH on the radar gun. Cordier struck out the first batter he ever faced in the majors, Drew Stubbs, on a 100 MPH fast ball down the middle, walked McKenry, DJ LeMahieu popped up for out number two, Matt McBride was hit by a 99 MPH fast ball, and Charlie Blackmon popped up to end the seventh inning.
Hunter Strickland pitched beatifully for the second day in a row, striking out his first batter on three pitches, got Justin Morneau to ground out on one pitch, Arenado hit a soft grounder up the middle for an infield single, and Dickerson flew out to center field to end the inning.
Chris Dominguez made his MLB Debut in the ninth inning when he pinch-hit, swinging at the first pitch he ever saw hitting into a double play. Juan Perez then flew out to right field to end the game. The Giants lose 9-2 and lose the season series to the Rockies (nine wins vs Rockies 10 wins), who own the worst record in baseball.
Notes: Angel Pagan was stratched late for back stiffness. Hopefully with the off day tomorrow, Pagan will be back in the lineup Friday against Detriot.
Madison Bumgarner won August’s National League pitcher of the month for the second time this season. In August, Bumgarner was 4-1 with a 1.57 ERA in 46 innings striking out 56. He also threw a one-hit complete game shut out as well.