SAN FRANCISCO — On a night when the bats were dormant, the Giants excelled in every other facet of the game to emerge with a win. Consistent pitching, stingy defense, timely small-ball, and situational execution led them to a 3-2 win in their series opener with the visiting Colorado Rockies.
Despite facing a brutal injury bug that bit this team before the season started, then continued throughout the ensuing four months, the Giants are now 41-39. They have won six of their past seven games, the product of a momentously successful home stand, to put them 4.5 games behind the National League West-leading Arizona Diamondbacks.
Tuesday night’s affair teetered back and forth until the Giants strung together quality at-bats in the eighth inning to produce the game-winning run. With one out, Brandon Crawford ripped a single. Joe Panik was intentionally walked, Austin Slater struck out looking, and Alen Hanson walked on five pitches. With the bases loaded, Gorkys Hernandez, who has become increasingly integral to this Giants lineup, withstood a seven-pitch at-bat to walk in the ultimate game-winning run.
But the Rockies would not go away easily. Rockies catcher Tom Murphy doubled on a bloop pop-fly to start the inning. Giants reliever Sam Dyson, who platoons as the team closer with Hunter Strickland on the disabled list, yielded a strikeout, then walked the following batter to put runners on first and second. A double-play, from Joe Panik to Brandon Crawford to Brandon Belt, ended the game.
Giants starting pitcher Derek Holland engineered one of his best performances of the season, posting 6.2 innings of one-run ball. His eight strikeouts were tied for his season-best. Tuesday was the third game this season in which he allowed fewer than two runs. When facing trouble, both he and the four Giants relievers escaped. The Rockies were 0-10 with runners in scoring position.
The scoring started when Rockies first baseman Ian Desmond hit a solo homer to left field in the second inning. Later that inning, Rockies slugger DJ LaMahieu hit a single that skipped past Giants Belt to move a runner to third with one out. The following play, Belt snagged a low line drive and tagged first base for the double play.
One inning later, Hernandez smoked a homer to dead center, marking his 10th homer of the year, one season after failing to hit one.
The scoring would not resume until the seventh inning. Austin Slater started things off with a single, and Hunter Pence followed with a dribbler that bumped into third base. After Hernandez bunted to move the runners to second and third, Buster Posey was intentional walked to load the bases. Andrew McCutchen, facing a full-count, hit a high, hanging fly ball to left field. Rockies left fielder Gerardo Parra caught and rifled the ball home. Slater slid into home to barely beat the throw and extend the Giants lead to 2-1.
The Rockies responded in the eighth inning as McCutchen failed to make a tough sliding play. With two outs and one runner on, Desmond scorched a line drive to right field. McCutchen, moving to his left, slid but missed the ball, which caromed off his glove. Rockies third baseman Trevor Story raced around the bases to tie the game at two runs apiece.
The Giants responded in the eighth inning, loading the bases before Hernandez drew the walk that scored the game-winning run.
They have two more matchups with the Rockies to conclude an eight-game home stand.
