Following an 11-15 June, the Colorado Rockies kicked off July with three straight wins. They entered the Saturday holiday matchup with back-to-back 14+ run games. On a day that got a little wonky between injuries, weather delays, umpire injury delays, and more, the Rockies weren’t able to secure a fourth straight win, as the San Francisco Giants took game two of this three game series.
“You look like the Fourth of July…”
After severe weather in the area delayed the game for 45 minutes, the sun came through at Coors Field, the Rockies took the field decked out in their stars-and-stripes studded caps and jerseys, and a nice Independence Day baseball game got underway in front of a packed ballpark. Things finally looked like the Fourth.
But it was one of those days where nothing started according to plan. On top of the weather delay, the Rockies’ projected starter Tomoyuki Sugano was scratched with an injury in the morning and added to the 15-day injured list, giving way to an unexpected Sean Sullivan start against Robbie Ray. The series of unfortunate events carried into the early portion of the game.
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Sullivan found himself in trouble immediately. After sitting the leadoff hitter down on strikes, he gave up a single to Luis Arráez followed by a double to Casey Schmitt and then a walk to Rafael Devers to load the bases. Jung Hoo Lee grounded into what was nearly an inning ending double play but beat the ball to first, scoring Arráez and extending the action. Willy Adames came through for San Francisco with a two-run double. Bryce Eldridge hit the third two-bagger of the inning to add another run. The Giants took a 4-0 lead very quickly.
Still, manager Warren Schaefer remained positive about Sullivan’s start, saying, “I think Sally’s still settling into the big leagues. I thought he battled big time tonight and got us at least into the sixth. He threw over 100 pitches tonight, so almost got us through six.”
“Makes me want a hot dog real bad.”
Like Joey Chestnut’s craving for hot dogs, the Rockies were hungry for runs themselves, responding in the bottom of the first. Ray was able to secure the first two outs of the inning, but Hunter Goodman stayed hot with a single. Tyler Freeman then drew a walk, setting the stage for Cole Carrigg. Carrigg blasted a three-run shot to left, bringing the game within one run at 4-3.
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Carrigg wasn’t done with the fireworks, this time putting on a display on the defense side of the ball. Eric Haase tried to spark the second inning for the Giants, but Carrigg made a wonderful diving grab to secure the first out.
After that, though, the Giants got another double, this time off the bat of Heliot Ramos. Arráez followed that with a single to right to bring Ramos home, extending the lead to 5-3. Sullivan got the next two outs to escape the second and limit the damage.
Bombs bursting in air (followed by silence)
Hits and homers were flying for both sides early. After Carrigg’s first inning dinger, Eldridge drove one to center field to extend the Giants’ lead to 6-3.
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San Francisco logged eight hits for those six runs through just the first three innings. It was the storm before the calm as the two teams put up nine runs early until the offenses were quieted in the middle innings.
Both pitchers threw an efficient fourth inning. Sullivan only allowed a single to Devers but got out of the inning on 10 pitches and Ray worked a 1-2-3 inning on only nine pitches. In the fifth inning, Sullivan gave up another double and a walk but got out of the jam. Ray logged another three straight outs.
Sullivan found himself in another pickle the following inning. Arráez singled to kick things off, before Sullivan responded for the next two outs. Lee hit a double and moved Arráez to third. Manager Warren Schaeffer pulled Sullivan there, ending his day at 105 pitches thrown over 5.2 innings, with six earned runs on 12 hits and his ERA moving up to 8.87.
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Juan Mejia, celebrating his 26th birthday, came in to relieve Sullivan. He walked Adames to load the bases before getting a noisy fly out to escape. It was smooth sailing for Mejia in the seventh as well, getting two strikeouts (one thanks to a Goodman challenge) and a line out.
For the Giants, Ray was pulled to start the bottom of the seventh inning. His day wrapped with 88 pitches thrown over 6.0 innings, three runs on five hits with four strikeouts and three walks. San Francisco turned to Sam Hentges, Dylan Smith, and Caleb Kilian to close out the game.
“We will not go quietly into the night!”
The Rockies did not vanish without a fight, but unfortunately it was not quite enough to celebrate their Independence Day.
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Colorado didn’t manage any hits in the eighth, which didn’t help. They tried to mount a comeback and eat into the three-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth. With a successful challenge, Carrigg led things off with a single. Jake McCarthy came up next with a ground out that moved Carrigg to second. Mickey Moniak came in to pinch hit but struck out swinging.
The Rockies gave it one last go, pinch hitting TJ Rumfield for Ezequiel Tovar. That worked out, as Rumfield singled to left field to drive in a run and cut the lead to 6-4 Giants. But then Troy Johnston struck out to end the game there.
Final Thoughts
The Rockies offense wasn’t as putrid as it has been in some games this season, but it also didn’t reach the heights seen recently. Enough guys went o-fer, stalling momentum for Carrigg, Goodman, and the other batters who looked sharp. The bullpen was another bright spot, as Mejia, Antionio Senzatela, and newcomer Jordan Romano worked their innings without giving up any runs.
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Moreso, in another rough start for Sullivan, the Rockies pitching was chipped away at consistently throughout the night, giving up 14 hits, seven of which were doubles. The Giants were able to gash them steadily and surely, taking an early lead and not looking back.
Up Next
The Rockies and Giants wrap up the holiday weekend with a Sunday afternoon rubber match.
Tyler Mahle is expected to take the mound for the visiting Giants, bringing with him a 1-8 record, 5.67 ERA, 64 strikeouts, and 29 walks. The Rockies are projected to start Tanner Gordon, entering Sunday with an 0-2 record, 6.69 ERA, 39 strikeouts, and seven walks.
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First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 pm MDT.
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