SF Giants sweep Rockies to take five-game win streak on road

SAN FRANCISCO — Alex Cobb’s precision pitching, Joey Bart’s clutch hitting and Brandon Crawford’s third residence run of the season paced the Giants to a 7-1 win Wednesday that secured a collection sweep of the Colorado Rockies.

A sun-splashed crowd of 23,341 watched the Giants notch their first collection sweep this season, through their tenth straight win in opposition to the Rockies, courting to final August.

It additionally prolonged the Giants’ win streak to 5, after shedding their earlier 5 after they have been shorthanded with a number of gamers on the COVID checklist.

“We all know what sort of staff we’re when all people is in there,” first baseman Brandon Belt mentioned. “We will face up to a participant or two being out for some time. However we had half our staff gone, and that’s robust to beat typically.”

Added Cobb: “All of us knew that is us, however it’s good to have affirmation that that is the best way we ought to be taking part in.”

Subsequent up is a Thursday flight to St. Louis, the place they’ll play Friday by way of Sunday earlier than a three-game collection in Colorado.

Cobb and beforehand unbeaten Rockies starter Chad Kuhl stored issues scoreless by way of three innings earlier than the Giants broke by way of offensively. That shouldn’t have been too shocking. The Giants outscored the Rockies 24-8 over the three-game set.

“Once we’re collectively and we’re close to wholesome, and with new contributions, we’re a deep offensive membership,” supervisor Gabe Kapler mentioned.

It was Bart’s RBI single that highlighted a three-run, go-ahead rally within the fourth inning. His clutch hit got here on an 0-2 pitch, and it got here an inning after he struck out thirty third time in 58 at-bats this season.

Crawford’s third residence run of the season (385 toes) prolonged the Giants’ result in 5-0, and it chased beforehand unbeaten starter Chad Kuhl.

Yet another offensive spotlight: Joc Pederson theatrically ended an 0-for-22 skid within the sixth, dribbling a 52 mph single that hugged the first-base line all the best way to the bag, which Pederson crossed together with his arms raised in celebration and aid.

COBB’S HOT START

Cobb (2-1) opened with 5 scoreless innings earlier than getting pulled within the sixth, after 85 pitches (61 strikes) with simply three hits and two walks.

He retired 10 consecutive batters after yielding a single to leadoff batter Connor Joe to open the sport. Cobb issued a two-out stroll to Blackmon after which struck out C.J. Cron with a 93-mph sinker to maintain the shutout bid intact by way of 4 innings.

Cobb’s second win got here the identical day his former Tampa Bay teammate Evan Longoria made his long-awaited season debut. Longoria, coming off finger surgical procedure on March 28, struck out thrice in his first 4 at-bats earlier than reaching on an error within the eighth.

“He’s any person I acquired comfy utilizing early in my profession,” Cobb mentioned of Longoria, a former Tampa Bay teammate. “I challenged him (at the moment) with well-hit floor balls that he made look straightforward.”

With runners on the corners, Jose Alvarez relieved Cobb and did not cleanly discipline Charlie Blackmon’s sluggish comebacker, permitting Dom Nunez to attain and minimize the Giants’ result in 5-1.

This begin was a far cry from Cobb’s outing 10 days earlier, when he acquired pulled solely two outs into the primary inning right here, after falling right into a 5-0 gap in an eventual 11-5 loss to Washington. He drew a no-decision in his ensuing begin final Friday, permitting two runs in 5 innings in an eventual 3-2 defeat to St. Louis, which is the place the 49ers subsequent open a three-game collection Friday after an off-day Thursday.

BART SHOWS UP ON TIME

Kuhl, who entered 3-0, threw three scoreless innings earlier than the Giants rallied within the fourth for a 3-0 lead.

The Giants’ most encouraging at-bat of that rally got here from Bart, who delivered an RBI single up the center for a 2-0 lead. Going through an 0-2 depend and his second strikeout of the day, Bart singled up the center to drive in Thairo Estrada.

Kapler referred to as it a well timed hit that was “necessary for all of us and (Bart’s) confidence.”

Bart’s second strikeout of the day would are available in his subsequent at-bat. He acquired hit by a pitch to assist stoke the eighth-inning rally.

Bart got here by way of with a defensive gem, too. He threw out Garrett Hampson making an attempt a delayed steal to finish the Rockies’ seventh-inning probabilities. “It was a great, heads-up play and an ideal, robust throw,” Kapler mentioned. “And clearly Craw has the very best instincts on the sphere (to make the catch and tag).”

NOTES

— Mike Yastrzemski broke the scoreless stalemate by sliding in safely on Crawford’s grounder to first with no outs. Yastrzemski led off with a single, took second on an errant pickoff try, then scooted to 3rd on Thairo Estrada’s single to middle. Crawford got here residence on a Brandon Belt flyout for the 3-0 lead.

— After his infield single, Pederson drew a bases-loaded stroll within the eighth, on an 11-pitch at-bat that started in an 0-2 gap. Pederson had opened 0-for-3 with to increase his droop to 0-for-22 (0-for-Could) since an adductor pressure stored him out three video games.

— Relievers Alvarez, John Brebbia, Tyler Rogers and Jarlin Garcia didn’t permit a run in aid of Cobb. Rogers pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning, then Garcia did the identical within the ninth, placing out Ryan McMahon to finish the sport.

— Longoria was instructed by Kapler on Tuesday evening to be prepared for his potential season debut this sport, after initially planning for it to come back Friday. “I’ve clearly been ready a very long time to get on the sphere, so it appears like Christmas morning to placed on the uniform once more and compete,” Longoria mentioned at his locker earlier than the sport.

— After pummeling their approach to 8-5 and 9-2 wins the earlier two video games in opposition to Colorado, the Giants struggled to supply runs in Wednesday’s preliminary innings. They stranded two runners within the first inning and once more within the third, that latter rally spoiled by strikeouts from Longoria and Pederson.

— The Giants’ 10-game win streak over the Rockies matches their longest in staff historical past, throughout a stretch from Sept. 2012 to Could 2013.

— Reliever Jake McGee went on the 15-day injured checklist, to which Kapler mentioned: “It’s not one thing that popped up in a big manner. It popped up sufficient this morning that it’s finest for him and the staff to take somewhat blow.”

— Infielder Donovan Watson was acquired in a commerce with the Seattle Mariners, in alternate for pitcher Prelander Berroa. Infielder Mike Ford was designated for project in a corresponding roster transfer.