DENVER — Ezequiel Tovar homered for a third straight game, hitting a tie-breaking two-run drive in the fifth inning, and the Colorado Rockies beat the San Francisco Giants 4-3 on Saturday night.

Kyle Freeland (2-3) went six innings and allowed three runs — two earned — on five hits in a fifth consecutive quality start since being reinstated from the injured list June 23 after missing two months due to a left elbow strain. He struck out four and walked one to win back-to-back decisions for the first time this season.

Tyler Fitzgerald, batting ninth in the order, doubled and homered to drive in two runs for the Giants. Wilmer Flores had a run-scoring double after Matt Chapman reached with two outs in the top of the sixth on shortstop Tovar’s fielding error.

Logan Webb was coming off his worst start of the season. He had matched a career-high when he allowed seven runs in five innings in a 10-6 loss to Toronto on July 10.

Webb (7-8) kept the Rockies in check until Sam Hilliard singled to start the fifth. One out later, Tovar connected for his 16th home run of the season, sending Webb’s offering over the left field fence. Webb went six innings and allowed four runs on eight hits. He walked four and struck out four.

Fitzgerald homered off Freeland in the third and doubled home Mike Yastrzemski, aboard with a triple, in the fifth.

Nick Mears pitched two hitless innings in relief, starting his outing by striking out four in a row, and Victor Vodnik pitched a hitless ninth for his third save.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: LHP Robbie Ray pitched impressively in his latest rehab outing and manager Bob Melvin said there’s a “good chance” the 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner could make his Giants’ debut during San Francisco’s four-game series at the Los Angeles Dodgers that begins Monday. Melvin described Ray’s impending return as a “big deal.” The Giants acquired Ray in an offseason trade with Seattle. He’s bidding to make his first appearance since undergoing reconstructive surgery on his pitching elbow in early May 2023. Ray pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings for Triple-A Sacramento on Friday night, allowing one hit. He struck out seven and walked two.

Rockies: C Elías Díaz left the game with right calf tightness and was replaced in the third inning by C Jacob Stallings. INF-OF Kris Bryant was slated to make his second rehab start Saturday night as a designated hitter for Triple-A Albuquerque after going 0-3 in his initial appearance on Friday night. Bryant, sidelined by a left rib contusion since early June, is expected to play for Albuquerque again on Sunday. It’s anticipated he’ll be re-evaluated after the weekend and could possibly rejoin the Rockies next week.

UP NEXT

Rockies LHP Ryan Feltner (1-9, 5.36 ERA) will be looking to snap an eight-game losing streak when he takes the mound in Sunday’s series finale against the Giants, who are scheduled to start RHP Hayden Birdsong (1-0, 3.72 ERA).

The San Francisco Giants have a short window to prove they should not be sellers at the upcoming trade deadline, and instead, add some pieces to help push them towards the playoffs.

Based on how they have played so far this year, that’s a tough pitch.

Coming out of the All-Star break, they sit with a 47-50 record and are on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, but with the Wild Card race so tight, they are just three games back from the final spot.

Farhan Zaidi has some pressure on him to make the postseason, suggesting he is going to avoid selling at all costs, but if they aren’t able to put together a good showing during the next 10 days, then he might be forced to start trading away some pieces.

That will be determined by what happens on the field, but if the front office is confident this group can turn things around and contend for a spot in the playoffs, then they could look to a major upgrade at first base.

According to MLB insider Jon Morosi, the Tampa Bay Rays “will listen” to offers on packages surrounding their star first baseman Yandy Diaz as it looks like they will begin to start selling.

The one-time All-Star would be a huge addition for the Giants.

Even though he’s having a down year with a .273/.329/.396 slash line and 109 OPS+ compared to his past performances, Diaz would be a massive upgrade in the platoon split if he replaced Wilmer Flores.

He would pair perfectly with the left-handed hitting LaMonte Wade Jr., who is an on-base machine. Having these two in the mix would give this lineup a boost no matter if a lefty or righty is on the mound.

There has been no information about what it might cost to acquire the 2023 Batting Champion, but with him not scheduled to hit free agency until 2027, with a club option being available for 2026, then there’s a chance any deal would be pricey.

Still, this is the type of acquisition that makes sense for San Francisco.

They would bring in someone who is cost-controlled compared to other top hitters at his position, giving them an established player at a spot where there isn’t a star prospect ready to take over.

SAN FRANCISCO — A 38-year-old San Francisco man has been sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for chasing down and firing a gun at a U.S. Postal Service worker.

On May 2, Vo Nguyen pleaded guilty to assault upon a federal employee with a deadly or dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm in connection with a crime of violence.

The incident happened on April 1, 2023. Nguyen yelled at a postal service worker who was delivering mail to his home, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

Nguyen admitted he “aggressively approached” the postal worker and “acted like he wanted to fight,” according to prosecutors.

The postal worker ran away. Nguyen followed him and the postal worker sprayed him with pepper spray.

Nguyen went back to his home, grabbed a 9mm pistol, got into his car and went looking for the postal worker.

After finding the postal worker, Nguyen fired five to six shots at him, paused and then fired another five shots, prosecutors said.

The postal worker ran in the opposite direction that Nguyen was driving. Nguyen made a U-turn and drove after the postal worker, who took cover behind a parked SUV.

Nguyen stopped in front of the SUV and fired another three shots, according to prosecutors. He then got out of his car and chased the postal worker, who sprayed him with pepper spray again.

Nguyen was arrested the same day. A federal grand jury indicted him on the charges the following month.

The sentence was handed down Thursday. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick sentenced Nguyen to a three-year period of supervision following his release from prison. A restitution hearing has been set for Oct. 10.