Rockies at Giants
The San Francisco Giants look to continue kicking the visiting Colorado Rockies while they're down as they attempt to complete a three-game sweep when the National League West rivals square off on Wednesday afternoon. San Francisco halted its own five-game slide with a 9-2 triumph in the series opener before rallying to post a 14-inning victory on Tuesday and extend Colorado's skid to seven contests.
Denard Span was the offensive star for the Giants, going 3-for-7 with an RBI single in the third inning to open the scoring and another in the 14th to secure the 4-3 win. It was the third consecutive multi-hit performance for Span and the fifth in seven contests. Colorado, which has lost three straight series since sweeping a four-game set against San Francisco from June 15-18, received most of its offense from the middle of its lineup. Cleanup hitter Mark Reynolds and No. 5 batter Ian Desmond combined to record half of the Rockies' 10 hits while the former plated all their runs with a three-run homer in the sixth inning - putting him one blast away from reaching the 20-homer plateau for the eighth time.
TV: 3:45 p.m. ET, NBCSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Kyle Freeland (8-5, 3.70 ERA) vs. Giants LH Ty Blach (4-5, 4.86)
Freeland went 4-0 over his first six turns on the road but has lost each of his last two, including an outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday in which he was tagged for five runs on 10 hits and three walks over six innings. It marked the 11th time in 15 starts the 24-year-old rookie from Denver has worked at least six frames but the seventh occasion in eight turns he has served up a home run. Freeland has had his way with San Francisco in his first major-league season, winning both of his starts while posting a 0.69 ERA.
Blach has gone 0-3 over his last four turns, allowing five or more runs in each setback - including a three-inning outing against the New York Mets on Friday in which he yielded seven runs and 11 hits without recording a strikeout. The 26-year-old, who also hails from Denver, has surrendered 14 runs and 21 hits in 8 2/3 frames over his last two starts at home - both losses. Blach made four relief appearances - three this year - against the Rockies before allowing three runs in 6 2/3 innings of a no-decision in a start at Colorado on June 18.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rockies RHP Jon Gray (foot) is expected to make his first start since April 13 on Friday against Arizona while LHP Tyler Anderson is slated to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee the same day.
2. San Francisco will purchase the contract of INF Jae-Gyun Hwang from Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday and start him at third base in the series finale.
3. Colorado purchased the contract of OF Mike Tauchman from Triple-A Albuquerque, optioned RHP Jairo Diaz to the Isotopes and transferred OF David Dahl (rib) to the 60-day disabled list.