Rockies at Giants
San Francisco Giants first baseman Brandon Belt has always been a streaky hitter, but he’s starting to show signs of putting together a career year. The 30-year-old has homered in four straight games for the Giants, who continue their four-game series against the visiting Colorado Rockies on Friday.
Belt has a team-high 10 homers and is 12-for-28 with seven extra-base hits during his six-game hitting streak, including a two-run blast in Thursday’s 12-inning, 5-3 loss. Carlos Gonzalez delivered a two-run single in the 12th inning to help Colorado win for the third time in its last eight games, but Ian Desmond went hitless in four at-bats and is 3-for-33 over the past nine contests. Second baseman Daniel Castro had a two-run double while starting in place of DJ LeMahieu, who is hitting .279 with five home runs and 13 RBIs from the leadoff spot but will miss the next three weeks with a small fracture to a bone in his left thumb. While Colorado’s offense has struggled in recent weeks, the bullpen continued to impress Thursday as Bryan Shaw, Adam Ottavino, Jake McGee and Wade Davis combined to allow one hit with eight strikeouts over six scoreless innings.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado), NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Kyle Freeland (3-4, 3.42 ERA) vs. Giants LH Derek Holland (2-4, 4.79)
Freeland helped the Rockies snap a three-game losing streak with a strong outing last Saturday, tossing 6 1/3 scoreless innings with six strikeouts in a 4-0 win over Milwaukee. The 24-year-old Denver native is 3-1 with a 1.65 ERA over his last four starts, working into the seventh inning each time. Nick Hundley is 5-for-11 with a home run against Freeland, who owns a 2-2 record and 3.22 ERA in four career starts versus San Francisco.
Holland won for the second time in his last three starts by throwing 6 1/3 scoreless innings in a 5-0 victory over Pittsburgh last Sunday. The 31-year-old has lowered his ERA in each of his last three outings and owns a 4.33 ERA in five starts at AT&T Park this season compared to a 5.65 ERA in three road starts. Chris Iannetta is 10-for-28 with a home run against Holland, who allowed seven runs (six earned) in four innings against the Rockies at Coors Field on Sept. 7, 2017.
WALK-OFFS
1. Giants SS Brandon Crawford is 11-for-18 over the last five games but was ejected in the 12th inning Thursday for arguing a called third strike.
2. The Rockies improved to 20-4 when scoring first with Thursday’s victory.
3. San Francisco RHP Mark Melancon (forearm) threw 20 pitches during batting practice Thursday and is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment on Sunday.