The Giants are back?
After a brutal stretch last week where they lost five in a row and seven of eight, San Francisco easily completed a sweep of the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday with a 7-1 victory at Oracle Park. It’s SF’s fifth win in a row since their lull and the 10th straight win over the Rockies going back to last year.
The series saw the Giants (19-12) and Rockies (16-15) switch spots in the NL West. SF is now in third place, one game behind the Padres and two behind the first place Dodgers. Colorado currently sits in last place.
Starter Alex Cobb had arguably his best outing of the season, allowing just three hits while striking out six in five and a third innings. Cobb’s sinker-splitter combo froze the Rockies early. He struck out three of the first five batters he faced, and didn’t allow a runner to reach scoring position until the sixth inning. Cobb’s lone run came on a fielder’s choice after Jose Alvarez took over.
LaMonte Wade Jr. was the offensive MVP. The leadoff hitter reached base in all four plate appearances, smacking three singles and a walk, earning an RBI in the eighth when he scored Luis González from second. It’s the best Wade has looked since returning to the lineup four games ago, and his first multi-hit game of the season.
There weren’t exactly fireworks at 3rd and King on Wednesday afternoon, but Brandon Crawford provided an impressive blast in the fifth inning, reaching down to golf a Chad Kuhl slider over the right-field wall. The two-run shot extended San Francisco’s lead to 5-0.
Joey Bart of all people helped get San Francisco’s offense going, getting off the schneid with a two-strike single in the fourth that scored Thairo Estrada from second. It was a hit that Bart — slashing .158/.304/.333 with 32 strikeouts in 19 games — needed in the worst way. In fact, it’s Bart’s first hit this season on a count that reached 0-2. Previously, he was 0-for-21 with a walk and 14 strikeouts as first pointed out by Andrew Baggarly.
The hit gave SF a 2-0 lead, and also moved Brandon Crawford to second. He would eventually score from third on a Brandon Belt sac fly later in the inning.
Also off the schneid is Joc Pederson, who broke his 0-for-22 streak in hilarious fashion. Hitless since hurting his groin, Pederson found himself at first base in the seventh inning when a 52 mph infield hit rolled along the first base line, staying fair all the way until it kissed the bag.
Rockies starter Chad Kuhl wasn’t terrible, but allowed seven hits, three walks and also hurt himself in the fourth inning when a throwing error put Mike Yastrzemski in scoring position with no outs. It was a bad start to an inning where SF would end up with three runs on a fielder’s choice, seeing-eye ground ball and sac fly.
As is customary, the Rockies bullpen got knocked around late. The Giants added two runs in the eighth on Wade Jr.’s single and a Pederson walk with the bases loaded.