Giants 7, Rockies 2: Lambert’s return spoiled by homers

Peter Lambert didn’t pitch badly, but the Giants offense popped off and secured the win

Peter Lambert was welcomed back warmly by Rockies fans, but not the Giants. They struck early and often, launching four homers en route to netting their 100th win of the season as they bested the Rockies 7-2 on Friday.

Lambert l’ambushed

Peter Lambert returned to MLB ball for the first time in two years, but the Giants weren’t going to let him celebrate the comeback. Tommy La Stella opened the game with a home run in the top of the first to put the Giants up early. The Rockies responded with two runs in the bottom half to take the lead, but San Francisco came right back with a home run off the bat of the resurging Brandon Crawford to tie the game again, this time at 2-2. Lambert then allowed back-to-back one-out singles in the third to La Stella and Brandon Crawford, but was able to escape further damage thanks to a great pickoff by Elías Díaz and a strikeout of Buster Posey.

Lambert would go on to record the first two outs in the first before walking Crawford and ending his outing at 65 pitches thrown. In all, the San Dimas native (Wyld Stallyns!!) tossed 3 ²⁄₃ innings and allowed two earned runs off of four hits, one walk, and two strikeouts.

Giant swings

The Giants offense was happy to play at elevation on Friday. Starting with the homers from La Stella and Crawford, they’d hit two more long balls before the night was over. The first of those was on an 0-2 pitch to Brandon Belt from reliever Ashton Goudeau in the sixth inning that broke the tie game and put San Francisco up 3-2.

One run is certainly not too deep a hole to dig out of, but things really began to unravel for the home team in the seventh. Goudeau allowed singles to Crawford (who reached base all four times on the evening, going 3-for-3 with a walk) and Evan Longoria before allowing the fourth homer of the game to Mike Yastrzemski to increase the Giants’ lead to 6-2. The National League West leaders would add one more in the inning before they were finally retired. Goudeau’s night was a rough one, as he pitched 2 ¹⁄₃ innings of relief and allowed four earned runs on four hits.

Rox can single, but can’t get the big one

Looking at the final score, one may be surprised to hear that the Giants had the same number of hits that the Rockies did. The reason there’s such a disparity in the score is because 10 of Colorado’s 11 total hits were singles, and the team finished 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position, leaving ten men on base. Brendan Rodgers’ double in the third frame was the sole extra-base hit on the evening.

The eighth inning was the best example of this phenomenon, as Giants reliever Taylor Rogers started the frame striking out Trevor Story (who himself had a rough night, striking out three times and leaving five men on base) before Charlie Blackmon singled. C.J. Cron flew out, but Díaz and Sam Hilliard both singled to load the bases for pinch-hitter Ryan McMahon with two outs. A grand slam would be nice, but a double or even another single would certainly put a dent in the Giants lead and perhaps swing momentum back in Colorado’s favor. Alas, “RyMac” fouled off two pitches before watching a slider land right down the heart of the plate to end the potential rally.

Rodgers was the offensive highlight of the night for the Rockies, going 3-for-5.

Up Next

The Rockies host game two of the series with San Fran as Jon Gray (8-11, 4.17 ERA) makes what could be his last Coors Field start as a member of the Rockies. Opposing him is Anthony DeScalfani (12-7, 3.23 ERA), whose nickname is “Disco.”

First pitch is at 6:10pm MDT. See you then!