What we learned as Giants come from behind to sweep Rockies
SAN FRANCISCO -- During a break in the action last Sunday, Giants manager Gabe Kapler and some of his coaches wondered why the team has had so much trouble closing out a series, particularly on getaway day.
Against the Colorado Rockies, no such problems exist. No problems exist at all, really.
For a second straight day, the Giants rallied late for a win over the last-place Rockies. The 6-4 victory was their 11th straight over the Rockies, including eight straight at Coors Field.
The Giants trailed 4-1 after five, but Michael Conforto got two runs back with a homer to right. It stayed that way until the ninth, when former Giants reliever Pierce Johnson walked Blake Sabol and Mike Yastrzemski and then gave up an RBI double to Brandon Crawford.
LaMonte Wade Jr.'s sacrifice fly gave the Giants a lead and Joc Pederson added an insurance run with an RBI single. Camilo Doval closed it out for his 16th save, as the Giants clinched their second sweep of the year. They had been 1-4 in potential sweep-clinching games.
Drought Is Over
The Giants didn't hit a homer while taking the first two games, which is like not homering for a full week at a normal ballpark. It was the first time since July of 2018 that the Giants went back-to-back games at Coors without a homer. They didn't wait long to get one Thursday.
Thairo Estrada hit a long solo shot in the first, getting the Giants on the board first. The blast was his first since coming off the IL and his seventh of the season.
Conforto's 12th extended his team lead and cut the deficit to one. After hitting four homers and posting a .597 OPS in his first 31 games as a Giant, Conforto has eight homers and an OPS over 1.000 in his last 22 games.
Saved Himself
Alex Cobb gave up three straight singles to start the game and allowed five hits in the inning, while also walking one and hitting one. With the bases loaded and four runs already in, he got Charlie Blackmon to fly out to center to finally end the inning. From there, it was smooth sailing.
Cobb made it through five innings, allowing just those four runs while striking out seven. The final inning was just as hairy as the first, but for a different reason. Cobb appeared to hurt his hip while throwing a pitch but was adamant that he was staying in when Kapler and Dave Groeschner came out to check on him. He made it through the fifth but didn't look fully comfortable while facing his final three batters.
The Giants need the issue to be just a temporary one. They already are without Alex Wood and Ross Stripling, and this weekend's rotation includes two "TBA" designations after Anthony DeSclafani starts Friday night against the Cubs.
Home Cooking
Taylor Rogers had a couple of sharp outings in his first series against his hometown team since signing with the Giants. Rogers struck out a pair in the sixth inning Thursday.
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The newcomer might have the stat of the year for the Giants. Rogers gave up seven earned runs in his first five appearances, but since dumping his glove in a dugout trash can on April 12, he has allowed just one earned run in 20 appearances. Rogers has 26 strikeouts over his last 18 innings.
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Source: NBC Sports Bay Area
