San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija delivers a pitch. File photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/UPI |
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SAN FRANCISCO -- Jeff Samardzija rebounded from three poor efforts against the Rockies earlier this season with a solid outing Monday night, helping the San Francisco Giants snap a five-game losing streak with a 9-2 victory over Colorado in the opener of a three-game series.
Hunter Pence and Buster Posey had three hits apiece in a 14-hit attack as the Giants, coming off a three-game home thumping at the hands of the New York Mets, won for just the second time in their past 14 games.
Just their second loss in 12 games against the Giants in 2017 extended the Rockies' season-worst losing streak to six games. Colorado had beaten San Francisco nine straight times.
Samardzija (3-9), who began the day as the losingest pitcher in the National League, limited the Rockies to two runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out five and did not walk a batter.
Samardzija hasn't allowed more than one walk in a game since April.
The veteran had been scorched by the Rockies for 19 runs and 26 hits over 18 1/3 innings in three earlier starts this season, taking a loss in all three.
The Giants backed him with run support in five separate innings Monday, roughing up five Rockies pitchers along the way.
Colorado starter German Marquez (5-4) took the loss after allowing five runs and seven hits in four innings. He walked two and struck out two.
Posey drove in three runs, and Joe Panik had two RBIs with a pair of singles for the Giants, whose 51 losses are tied with the Philadelphia Phillies for the most in baseball.
Pence, Panik, Denard Span and Gorkys Hernandez scored twice apiece.
Mark Reynolds and Tony Wolters each collected two hits for the Rockies, who were coming off three-game road sweep against Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Rockies finished with nine hits off four Giants pitchers.
The Giants built their early lead on the strength of extra-base hits. Posey had an RBI double in the first inning, Brandon Belt a run-scoring triple in a two-run third and Span an RBI triple in a two-run fourth.
Sacrifice flies by Posey and Panik accounted for the other two runs in that stretch, helping the Giants go up 5-0.
NOTES: Responding to a Fox Sports report that RHP Mark Melancon's refusal to stretch with his fellow relievers almost four hours before night games, a "tradition" that began in 2012, had contributed to his club's poor season, Giants manager Bruce Bochy noted before the game, "It's pole vaulting over mouse turds." ... Discussion on the matter, including the report's use of unnamed sources within the organization, nonetheless prompted a Giants team meeting about an hour before Monday's start. ... Rockies manager Bud Black announced RHP Kyle Freeland will start Wednesday's series finale, while RHP Antonio Senzatela will pitch out of the bullpen for the time being. Senzatela threw two scoreless innings in relief Monday. ... Before the game, the Rockies placed RF Carlos Gonzalez (strained right shoulder) and LHP Tyler Anderson (inflamed left knee) on the 10-day disabled list. Colorado reinstated RHP Chad Qualls (back spasms) from the DL and promoted RHP Jairo Diaz from Triple-A Albuquerque. ... The Rockies had only three position players available on the bench, prompting Black to use Freeland as a pinch hitter in the fifth inning. He struck out.
