Giants at Rockies
Angel Pagan missed the San Francisco Giants’ World Series run last season due to back surgery, but he’s making up for lost time this month. The veteran center fielder is 8-for-15 over his last three games and hitting .355 for the Giants, who visit the Colorado Rockies on Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game series.
While Pagan is streaking, the Giants are exercising patience with third baseman Casey McGehee, who is hitting .188 after recording two hits and grounding into his major league-high eighth double play in Saturday’s 5-4 victory in 11 innings. “It’s so early,” manager Bruce Bochy told reporters. “He drove in 80 runs last year. He can hit. He’s going to hit.” The Giants overcame solo homers by Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez to snap a five-game losing streak against the Rockies on Saturday. Gonzalez finished 1-for-5 and is batting .197 with two home runs and six RBIs in 17 games.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), ROOT (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Tim Lincecum (1-1, 2.00 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Tyler Matzek (1-0, 2.40)
Lincecum earned his first win last Tuesday after holding the Dodgers to one run over six innings. The two-time Cy Young award winner, who is 11-10 with a 3.96 ERA in 39 career starts against Colorado, has used a full complement of pitches to begin the season on a strong note. “He’s got good movement on his fastball, he’s got a good breaking ball, curveball, slider and a changeup,” Bochy told reporters. “He uses all of ‘em and that’s the way he needs to pitch.”
Matzek issued a career-high six walks and allowed two runs over five innings in last Monday’s 7-6 loss to San Diego. Control has been a longtime issue for Matzek, who walked 8.5 batters per nine innings during his minor league career. The 24-year-old turned in an encouraging start against the Giants on April 15, when he helped the Rockies claim a 4-2 victory by yielding one run on five hits and three walks over six frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Giants are hitting .210 (34-for-162) with runners in scoring position after going 1-for-16 in Saturday’s victory.
2. Colorado closer Adam Ottavino has not allowed a run in his last 16 games, dating to Sept. 7.
3. San Francisco C Buster Posey is a career .400 hitter (58-for-145) with eight home runs in 39 games at Coors Field.