SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants’ series finale with the Colorado Rockies was everything that their 1-0 win Wednesday night was not.
It was not a pitcher’s duel. Both teams jumped all over starting pitchers Chris Stratton and Jon Gray, knocking them out of the game early and keeping the pressure on the pitchers that relieved them.
It was not a defensive masterpiece. Nolan Arenado and Brandon Crawford, two of the best defensive players in the National League, each botched a routine play that put their team at a disadavantage.
But in the end, and most importantly, it was not a Giants win, as DJ LeMahieu’s two-run home run off Giants closer Sam Dyson in the ninth turned a 8-7 Rockies deficit into a 9-8 lead and staved off a Giants series sweep.
Arenado got the Rockies off to a quick start in the first with a solo home run to left-center, but Brandon Belt countered with a two-run homer to right in the bottom of the frame that nearly splashed into McCovey Cove.
The Rockies put two on with none out in the second, but Stratton retired Ian Desmond, Tony Wolters, and Gray to end the inning.
In the fourth, however, they were able to convert on their scoring chances. Carlos Gonzalez started the rally with a double to left, moved to third on a Trevor Story single, and scored on a Gerardo Parra single to right. Ian Desmond then delivered the inning’s biggest blow with a two-run triple to right and then scored on a LeMahieu single.
The Giants responded in the bottom of the frame. After walks by Andrew McCutchen and Nick Hundley and a Pablo Sandoval single, Joe Panik doubled in two and Gorkys Hernandez singled in one more to tie the game at five. With runners at the corners, one out and a chance to go ahead, manager Bruce Bochy elected to pinch-hit for Stratton, inserted Hunter Pence in for the critical at-bat. Pence struck out, however, as did Alen Hanson, the Giants’ leadoff hitter, whose strikeout ended the inning.
In the fifth, Belt and McCutchen started off the bottom of the frame with back-to-back singles, but Crawford killed the rally by lining out to Story, who promptly doubled up Belt at second. Sandoval singled to extend the inning, but Hundley, the next batter, grounded out to end it.
Ty Blach replaced Stratton on the mound and pitched a clean fifth and sixth, but ran into trouble in the seventh. Pinch-hitter Chris Iannetta led off the inning with a single, and fellow pinch-hitter Noel Cuevas doubled to left to move Iannetta to third. LeMahieu then singled to center to score both runners and put the Rockies up 7-5.
Once again, the Giants had an answer, but this time, it wasn’t enough, at least not yet. Hanson’s sharp ground ball to third went under Arenado’s glove, putting him at first. McCutchen then ripped two liners down the left-field line: the first foul, but the second fair and all the way to the wall, deep enough to score the speedy Hanson and put the Giants down just one with McCutchen at second and one out. They were unable to capitalize, however, as Crawford struck out and and Sandoval flied out to end the inning.
But in the eighth, the Giants retook the lead. Joe Panik singled and Gorkys Hernandez walked before pinch-hitter Buster Posey blooped a single to left-center to load the bases. Hanson then played the hero, lacing the two-run double down the right field line.
The lead was short-lived, however, as LeMahieu’s two-run home run in the ninth put the Rockies up 9-8 and gave them the win.
