Rockies at Giants
The Colorado Rockies still have injury issues and questions in their starting rotation, but their bullpen could finish the season as the best in franchise history. New closer Greg Holland has converted all six of his save opportunities for the Rockies, who continue their four-game series against the host San Francisco Giants on Friday.
Rockies relievers Chris Rusin, Adam Ottavino and Mike Dunn joined Holland to limit the Giants to one run over six innings in Thursday’s 3-1 victory after starter Jon Gray left in the fourth inning with a left toe injury. Trevor Story, who led all National League rookies last year with 27 homers, belted his first of the season off Madison Bumgarner in the fourth inning as the Rockies bounced back after losing two of three against San Diego. The Giants are 4-7 but expect to have Brandon Crawford back in the lineup Friday after the shortstop missed Thursday’s game due to a family emergency. San Francisco was held to five hits in Thursday’s loss and needs more production from Jarrett Parker (.190) and Brandon Belt, who snapped an 0-for-18 slide with an infield single in the seventh inning.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), NBC Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Tyler Anderson (1-1, 8.44 ERA) vs. Giants RH Johnny Cueto (2-0, 4.50)
Anderson could use a solid outing after allowing five runs and issuing a career-high four walks in five innings last Sunday against the Dodgers. “Most of his pitches, he didn’t have command of any of them,” manager Bud Black told reporters. “The ball-strike ratio was almost 50-50, which is not going to work for a starting pitcher. The walks came back to haunt him.” The 27-year-old is 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in two career starts against the Giants.
Cueto recorded his second straight victory on Sunday, when he yielded two runs and five hits with seven strikeouts in a 5-3 win over San Diego. The 31-year-old has been dominant in 12 career starts against Colorado, going 7-2 with a 2.22 ERA - including 5-0 with a 1.33 ERA over his last five outings. Gerardo Parra is 14-for-38 with two home runs against Cueto while Carlos Gonzalez has recorded 10 hits in 29 at-bats.
WALK-OFFS
1. Colorado 3B Nolan Arenado is batting .304 with eight homers and 25 RBIs in his career at AT&T Park.
2. San Francisco’s starting pitchers have posted a 2.66 ERA over the last six outings.
3. The Rockies are 16-13 in their last 29 games in San Francisco.