The Rockies’ postseason dream ended months ago, but that doesn’t mean they can’t spoil other teams’ dreams.
Just ask the Giants.
They arrived at Coors Field with designs of making a big move in the National League wild-card hunt. And why not? Entering the four-game series, the Giants were 16-1 vs. Colorado dating back to last August.
But the Rockies didn’t roll over.
They swept Saturday’s doubleheader, winning the nightcap 5-2 after taking the first game, 9-5, leaving San Francisco 2 1/2 games out of the final wild-card spot with 13 games remaining.
The Rockies swept the Giants in a doubleheader for the first time in franchise history, and it was their first doubleheader sweep overall since Aug. 17, 2014 vs. Cincinnati.
On Friday night, Colorado beat the Giants, 3-2, with a ninth-inning rally. Add in two straight wins over the playoff-hopeful Cubs earlier in the week and the Rockies’ winning streak has reached a season-high five games. They had not won five consecutive games since July 12-16, 2022.
Manager Bud Black said it’s important to him and the team that they aren’t anyone’s doormat.
“We talked about that as a group and what this means to a lot of guys, and the experience they’re getting,” Black said.
There was some bad news for the Rockies in Saturday’s Game 2. Starter Kyle Freeland left the game after pitching just three innings because of what the club called a mild right oblique strain. There is a good chance his season is over.
When Freeland went down, a corps of four relievers held the Giants to one run on six hits the rest of the way.
Rookie right-hander Victor Vodnik, the first pitcher to relieve Freeland, picked up his first major league victory. The Giants loaded the base against right-hander Tyler Kinley in the ninth on two singles and a walk, but got Blake Sabol to pop out to third to end the game and notch his fourth save.
Regarding his injury, Freeland said: “With where we are with two weeks left (in the season) I don’t see there being a very high chance of me coming back. Obliques are very touchy. We’ll talk about that in the coming days.”
Veteran first baseman Kris Bryant, now healthy, continued to produce since coming off the injured list. Bryant went 2 for 4, doubling home shortstop Ezequiel Tovar in the first inning and driving in Charlie Blackmon with a single in the seventh.
Blackmon, at 37, continues to rake. He added a leadoff triple in the third and scored a run and is now hitting .282 with a .813 OPS. Since being reinstated from the 10-day injured list on Aug.14, he’s reached base safely in 25 of 26 games.
The Rockies’ one-two rookie punch KO’d the Giants in the first game.
Tovar hit a three-run triple and drove in a career-high four runs, and left fielder Nolan Jones tripled and scored three times. Tovar finished the doubleheader hitting 5 for 8 with five RBIs.
Tovar is just the second player in Rockies history to combine for at least five hits and five RBIs in a doubleheader, joining Eric Young Sr. on July 23, 1996. He had seven hits and five RBIs.
The Giants were hurt by awful pitching in the opener. They walked seven, including four in Colorado’s three-run fifth inning. Ryan Walker walked Hunter Goodman with the bases full to force in one run. Walker was replaced by Ross Stripling, who promptly walked Harold Castro for another run.
San Francisco led 3-0 in the third until Tovar’s bases-loaded triple knotted the game in the bottom of the frame.
Lambert to IL. Right-hander Peter Lambert, who’s pitched well enough to earn strong consideration for a spot in next season’s starting rotation, was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with right biceps tendinitis.
Lambert, 3-7 with a 5.36 ERA in 25 games, including 11 starts, is likely done for the season. He began the year in the bullpen before being plugged into the rotation when the Rockies suffered a rash of injuries.
In his 11 starts, Lambert posted a 4.50 ERA, but he wasn’t sharp in his last two starts, giving up 10 runs in 11 innings.
The Rockies’ plan this season was to limit Lambert to 100-120 innings because of his history of elbow problems. Counting his seven starts at Triple-A Albuquerque, Lambert has thrown 109 innings.
Sunday’s pitching matchup
Giants LHP Sean Manaea (5-6, 4.80 ERA) at Rockies RHP Chris Flexen (1-3, 6.75)
1:10 p.m. Sunday, Coors Field
TV: ATTRM
Radio: 630 KHOW
Flexen is trying to make a strong impression as the season winds down. Despite his sky-high ERA, he’s been pitching better of late. In his last start, he allowed three runs on nine hits, walked two and fanned five over 5 2/3 innings against the Cubs at Coors Field. On Tuesday against the Guardians, Manaea made his first start since May 10. He was saddled with the loss but pitched decently over 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks while striking out five. Manaea lost his spot in the rotation after posting a 7.96 ERA over his first eight appearances of the season, but he got back on track after moving to the bullpen where he put up a 3.86 ERA over 25 relief appearances.
Pitching probables
Monday: Rockies LHP Ty Blach (3-1, 4.64) at Padres RHP Michael Wacha (11-4, 3.43), 7:40 p.m., ATTRM
Tuesday: Rockies TBA at Padres LHP Blake Snell (14-9, 2.43), 7:40 p.m., ATTRM
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