SAN FRANCISCO — This wasn’t supposed to happen. Rockies vs. Giants was supposed to create hand-wringing, heart-melting drama for the National League West crown in this series.
Instead, the teams were sinking kayaks colliding at McCovey Cove, the Giants winning the water fight 3-1 at AT&T Park.
The Giants, at least were good for a long time, their postseason dream ending Sunday. The Rockies were unofficially eliminated when Jorge De La Rosa’s elbow ligament snapped in May.
So rather than stage an all-or-nothing cagematch, the combatants played for pride and fantasy league stats. The most detectable venom came when Giants fans traded barbs with each other over the appropriateness of The Wave.
Typical of games here, it was low-scoring with the Rockies on the short end. The result wasn’t important as the performance of Jhoulys Chacin. Looking to create momentum heading into the offseason, the 23-year-old delivered in a way rarely seen since mid-June. His mechanics more consistent, his focus sharp, Chacin allowed just two earned runs on Mike Fontenot’s triple and one walk in seven innings.
He finished his second full season 11-14 with a 3.62 ERA.
“His talent is amazing,” reliever Huston Street said. “He’s only going to get better. You can see it.”
The Rockies are counting on Chacin to evolve into an innings-guzzler next season. He finished with 194 innings this season, painfully shy of his spring training goal of 200-plus.
After going to Venezuela for a few weeks, Chacin will return to Tucson, to train this winter.
“I know I can improve,” Chacin said.
As good as Chacin was, Ryan Vogelsong, a favorite to win comeback player of the year honors, was better. He didn’t allow a run in seven innings, lowering his ERA to 2.71.
Mark Ellis, whom the Rockies will attempt to re-sign as a free agent, averted the shutout with an RBI single, snapping reliever Sergio Romo’s 21 2/3-inning scoreless streak. A potential bigger rally was snuffed out by the Rockies’ latest baserunning miscue as Seth Smith ran into an out at third base in the seventh inning.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
Looking ahead
TUESDAY: Rockies at Giants, 8:15 p.m., Root
Asked if starting Alex White (2-3, 8.63 ERA) could demoralize the rookie, manager Jim Tracy didn’t waver, saying, “He needs to get experience and work his way through this.” The right-hander has not been sharp. He has struggled with some balance issues in his delivery that have affected his arm angle. Getting more movement on his fastball is critical. The Giants hit White hard during the last homestand, scoring six runs on nine hits, including two home runs. White hasn’t hesitated, insisting that he wants to keep pitching to work out of his slump. The Giants have won 12 of Madison Bumgarner’s last 17 starts after losing 11 of his first 15. The left-hander (12-13, 3.32) has dominated the Rockies this season, allowing just two earned runs in 20 innings. Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
Upcoming pitching matchups
Wednesday: Rockies’ Drew Pomeranz (1-1, 5.68 ERA) at Giants’ Matt Cain (12-11, 2.88), 1:45 p.m., Root
