Posey homers twice, drives in six as Giants roll
DENVER -- Buster Posey put the San Francisco Giants ahead early and gave them the lead again in the late innings Saturday with a pair of three-run homers in a 10-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies.
The win was the 14th in 16 games for the Giants
This would have been a difficult loss for the Giants to stomach, as they blew a four-run lead and starter Madison Bumgarner kept the Rockies in check, in particular with a heroic sixth.
Both teams suffered major bullpen meltdowns, the Giants in the seventh when the Rockies scored four runs following the departure of Bumgarner to take a 5-4 lead. The lead was short-lived as the Giants retaliated with six runs in the eighth, the first three scoring on Posey's three-run shot off rookie Carlos Estevez (1-2).
The Giants used five pitchers in the seventh when Nolan Arenado doubled home two runners who had walked, and Carlos Gonzalez hit a two-run homer off left-hander Josh Osich to cap the rally.
Estevez had made six consecutive scoreless appearances, totaling 6 1/3 innings, and allowed just two hits in that span. He gave up two singles to open the eighth before Posey connected for his third career two-homer game and tied his career-high with six RBI.
Bumgarner limited the Rockies to one run and five hits in six innings and whittled his ERA to 2.12. He escaped a no-outs, bases-loaded jam in the sixth. After singles by Arenado and Gonzalez. Mark Reynolds fouled off four consecutive 3-2 pitches before drawing a 10-pitch walk.
Bumgarner struck out Ryan Raburn on nine pitches. Next up was Cristhian Adames, who had hits in each of his first two at-bats to make him 4-for-5 lifetime against Bumgarmer, then grounded into a double play.
His 4-1 lead secure, Bumgarner shook his left fist as the troublesome inning ended, along with his 103-pitch workday.
With one out in the seventh, Javier Lopez was brought in to face left-handed hitters Gerardo Parra and Charlie Blackmon and walked them. Hunter Strickland struck out Trevor Story, but Arenado (double) and Gonzalez (home run) put the Rockies ahead 5-4.
After Posey's second three-run shot and seventh homer of the season, the Giants pounded Gonzalez Germen for four hits and three runs. Jarrett Parker singled home the first run, and pitcher Cory Gearrin (1-0), who worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings, singled in his first plate appearance to load the bases before Gregor Blanco singled home two runs against Justin Miller.
Posey's first three-run homer came after starter Eddie Butler created his own trouble. He walked Joe Panik and hit Matt Duffy with a pitch before Posey's opposite-field shot to right-center on a 1-0 fastball. Posey was 9-for-46 (.191) with runners in scoring position.
The Giants made it 4-0 in the second when Jarrett Parker led off with a double, took third on a ground out and scored on Baumgarner's third career sacrifice fly.
Bumgarner gave up a leadoff double in the first to Blackmon, who extended his career-high on-base streak to 23 consecutive games. Story grounded out, Arenado struck out and Gonzalez flied out to the warning track in left-center.
Blackmon lined a sacrifice fly to center to trim the Giants' lead to 4-1 with one out in the fifth. Adames opened the inning with a triple to right-center, and Dustin Garneau followed with a walk.
Notes: Rockies LHP Jorge De La Rosa made his first relief appearance since July 12, 2009, against Atlanta and pitched two scoreless innings. ... Rockies RHP Chad Qualls made his 800th career major-league appearance. ... Giants CF Denard Span was scratched from the lineup with a bruised right hip that he suffered when he banged into the wall in San Francisco on Wednesday. ... Giants RHP Chris Stratton was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento and will make his major league debut. He took the roster spot of RHP Matt Cain, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list after being forced to leave his start Friday night with a right hamstring strain. ... Giants 1B Brandon Belt returned to the lineup after missing one game with a mild left ankle sprain. ... Giants RF Hunter Pence was back in the lineup after not starting the past six games due to a right hamstring strain. ... Rockies RHP Adam Ottavino threw 21 pitches in batting practice for the first time since he underwent Tommy John surgery May 7, 2015. Barring a setback, he expects to throw batting practice two more times before beginning a rehab assignment. ... Rockies LHP Tyler Matzek (anxiety) threw 10 pitches, eight strikes, and hit 92 mph Friday while retiring the two batters he faced for High Class-A Modesto. He faced one batter in each of his first eight appearances for that team.