Giants at Rockies
The Colorado Rockies attempt to complete a sweep and continue their domination in the season series when they host the San Francisco Giants on Sunday for the finale of their three-game set. Colorado already is 5-1 against San Francisco just three weeks into the campaign after winning each of the first two games of this series, including a 12-3 triumph on Saturday.
Mark Reynolds went 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs, while Trevor Story and Charlie Blackmon both went deep in the fourth inning for the second consecutive game for the Rockies, who have won their first two series of the year against the Giants for just the second time in franchise history (2002). San Francisco is looking to halt a three-game slide and post just its second win in seven contests. Brandon Belt and Joe Panik combined to record four of the Giants' seven hits on Saturday, including all three that went for extra bases. Belt enters the series finale with a seven-game hitting streak after registering a pair of doubles in the rout.
TV: 3:10 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Bay Area (San Francisco), ROOT (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Jeff Samardzija (0-3, 6.16 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Kyle Freeland (1-1, 4.91)
Samardzija remains in search of his first win of the season after being tagged for 13 runs in 19 innings over his first three starts. The 32-year-old native of Indiana is coming off his longest outing of 2017, a home loss to Colorado last Sunday in which he recorded eight strikeouts but yielded four runs and eight hits over seven frames. The setback dropped Samardzija to 3-3 with a 2.55 ERA in 12 career appearances (eight starts) against the Rockies.
Freeland gave up just one run against the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Tuesday but was pulled after four innings, as he yielded four hits and issued four walks. The 23-year-old rookie from Denver also faced the Dodgers at home in his major-league debut on April 7, earning his first victory after allowing one run and four hits over six frames. A matchup with San Diego was sandwiched between those outings and Freeland did not fare well, as he was battered for six runs on eight hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado is hitting .429 with five RBIs against Samardzija in his career, while OF Gerardo Parra has a .370 average with one homer and four RBIs versus the veteran right-hander.
2. San Francisco CF Denard Span left Saturday's game after two innings with an apparent right shoulder injury, which he suffered when crashing into the wall while making an inning-ending catch.
3. Colorado RHP Greg Holland has recorded a save in each of his first nine appearances with the team, which also are his first nine appearances in the majors since 2015 with Kansas City due to Tommy John surgery.