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Colorado Rockies end San Francisco Giants' five-game winning streak

By Jack Etkin, The Sports Xchange
Colorado Rockies manager Walt Weiss (22). Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI
Colorado Rockies manager Walt Weiss (22). Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo

DENVER -- The Rockies arrived home from Boston at 3:30 Friday morning. Meanwhile, the red-hot and well-rested Giants had an off day here Thursday.

But the Rockies parlayed a superb outing from Tyler Chatwood and a barrage of early doubles into their fifth win in eight games this season against San Francisco to start a seven-game homestand.

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The loss ended the Giants' five-game winning streak and was just their second defeat in 15 games.

Matt Cain, who was 1-1 with a 1.71 ERA in his past three starts, had to leave after 1 2/3 innings due to a right hamstring strain. He will undergo an MRI on Saturday but could be headed to the disabled list.

"It's discouraging, but you can't sit here and dwell on it," Cain said. "Just try to get this thing right and get back out there."

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Cain missed two starts in 2014 when he strained the same hamstring in a slightly lower spot. He said this injury occurred on his second-to-last pitch to Gerardo Parra, the final batter Cain faced. The tightness was the same on the final pitch to Parra. Cain said he was hoping the hamstring "would release and not be a big deal."

But when the Giants' head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner and manager Bruce Bochy came to the mound, Cain said, "I could tell it was starting to get a little tighter and tighter. Even by the time I came up here (to the clubhouse), it was tight enough to where if I had stayed out there, I would have made it worse."

Cain's early departure forced Bochy to summon Albert Suarez, who had pitched a total of seven innings in his first four career appearances since his May 6 promotion from Triple-A Sacramento. Suarez (1-1) gave up three runs and five hits in five innings. But all five hits were doubles as the Rockies scored twice in the third and once in the fourth and led 3-1 when Suarez left after the seventh.

"He did a nice job," Bochy said. "Stepped in a tough situation, early call and gave us some good innings there. Kept us in the game -- 3-1, we just couldn't do anything offensively. Chatwood threw well and just couldn't mount much there. That was the difference in the game. They pitched very well tonight."

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The Rockies tacked on two runs in the eighth on two-out singles by Trevor Story, who had a run-scoring double in the fourth, and Tony Wolters.

Chatwood (6-3) allowed one unearned run and four hits in seven innings with no walks and three strikeouts. Chatwood got 11 outs on ground balls during his 84-pitch outing. He became the first Rockies pitcher to work at least seven innings at Coors Field and not allow an earned run or a walk since Juan Nicasio on July 15, 2011. The feat has been accomplished seven times by six Rockies pitchers.

"Quite a few of them swung at the first pitch in their first at-bat," Chatwood said. "(I) figured then they would be aggressive. Just try to execute early strikes and get quick outs."

The Giants scored a run in the ninth on a triple by Buster Posey and a two-out single by Gregor Blanco off Miguel Castro. Jake McGee earned his 14th save in 16 opportunities, getting pinch hitter Kelby Tomlinson to pop out and end the game.

The Giants scored their only run in the third. Jarrett Parker led off and reached base on an error by second baseman DJ LeMahieu. Trevor Brown's hit-and-run single sent Parker to third as Brown's grounder went through the area vacated by LeMahieu.

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Suarez hit a high bouncer that Chatwood snared. He forced Brown at second with a throw to shortstop Story, who threw home to complete what was called a 1-6-2 double play.

But a replay review showed that the sliding Parker touched the plate before being tagged by catcher Wolters. The RBI for Suarez came on his first career plate appearance.

"I just tried to put the ball in play," he said. "If I put the ball in play, something's going to happen."

NOTES: Rockies CF Charlie Blackmon has reached base in a career-high 22 consecutive games. He extended the streak with a run-scoring double in the third. ... There was a 42-minute weather delay before the start of the game. ... Rockies RHP Eddie Butler will start Saturday and LHP Chris Rusin will start Sunday as Colorado finalized its rotation for the rest of this series. ... Rockies RHP Adam Ottavino is scheduled to throw live batting practice Saturday for the first time since he underwent Tommy John surgery May 7, 2015. ... Rockies LHP Jorge De La Rosa, who has been moved to the bullpen, is expected to be ready Saturday after throwing 69 pitches in 3 1/3 innings in a start Tuesday in Boston after being activated from the disabled list. ... Giants 1B Brandon Belt is expected to return to the lineup Saturday. He was doing very well after rolling his left ankle Wednesday, but manager Bruce Bochy wanted to give him another day of rest. ... Giants RF Hunter Pence was not in the lineup for the sixth straight game. He tested his sore right hamstring before the game and is expected to start Saturday. ... Giants RHP Sergio Romo (right flexor strain) struck out two of the three batters he faced in his third rehab appearance with Triple-A Sacramento and throw back-to-back games Sunday and Monday before joining the Giants in Atlanta on Monday.

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