Giants' Susac clears bases to beat Rockies
SAN FRANCISCO -- Andrew Susac's three-run double in the seventh inning helped the Giants win for the seventh time in their last 11 games, 7-5, over the Rockies on Saturday at AT&T Park.
Matt Duffy, who homered in the fifth off Rockies starter Chris Rusin, doubled to end a seven-pitch at-bat against reliever Rafael Betancourt (2-3), and Buster Posey was intentionally walked to load the bases for Susac's double into the left-field corner.
"That was the spot where I was trying to throw that pitch, but he kept it fair -- that was good for him," Betancourt said.
The Rockies' Nolan Arenado extended his hit streak to 14 games with an RBI double in the three-run first against Giants starter Tim Lincecum, who left in the second after being hit by a DJ LeMahieu line drive on the right forearm.
Video: COL@SF: Lincecum exits after being struck by liner
"It kind of tightened up and locked up on me immediately," Lincecum said. "It's just a bit stiffer than usual."
The Rockies' Charlie Blackmon and Troy Tulowitzki each extended their hit streaks to 11 games, and each drove in a run. But the Rockies couldn't hold their early lead and in the ninth couldn't capitalized on Blackmon's leadoff walk against Santiago Casilla.
Video: COL@SF: Tulo puts Rox ahead with RBI single in 1st
"This is typically how it goes -- usually whoever is behind chases the other team down, and it comes down to the last inning," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Posey ties the score: With the Giants trailing, 3-1, in the bottom of the third and runners on the corners, Posey crushed a 3-2 Rusin sinker to left-center for a two-run double. The ball bounced off the hand of a fan who reached over the wall, but the umpires ruled there was no interference and no home run. Replay officials reviewed the play and overturned the call, concluding the fan did indeed interfere, but confirmed the ball did not leave the park and determined both runners would have scored anyway.
Video: COL@SF: Posey's hit ruled a two-run double
"He's special," Susac said of Posey. "I'm very blessed to be able to play with him and watch him go about his business because it only gets me better learning from him." More >
It slipped through their hands: Two defensive miscues set up Posey's double. First baseman Wilin Rosario fumbled a Joe Panik grounder, and Tulowitzki bobbled Duffy's grounder just enough so that the Rockies couldn't end the inning with a double play.
Video: COL@SF: Duffy puts Giants on board with groundout
Susac stays scorching hot: With his single to lead off the second inning, Susac extended his hitting streak to a career-high eight games. But he wasn't done there. The catcher stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh and ripped a ball down the left-field line to clear the bases and give the Giants a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
"I see his confidence growing," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He certainly came through with the hit we needed."
One too many: Rusin generally escaped trouble for 6 1/3 innings because he stayed in the strike zone. He yielded five runs and 10 hits but walked just one. However, the leadoff walk in the seventh to Angel Pagan set in motion events that led to Susac's game-breaking double.
Video: COL@SF: Rusin induces inning-ending DP to end jam
"I wanted to attack him, but I walked him -- I didn't want to do that," Rusin said. More >
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The Giants struck back in a rivalry that has tipped the Rockies' way recently. Saturday's victory ended the Rockies' four-game win streak at AT&T Park. Still, the Giants have won just seven of the last 17 home games against the Rockies.
WHAT'S NEXT
Rockies: Righty Kyle Kendrick (3-9, 5.96 ERA), hoping to not let the Giants add to his 21 home runs yielded this year, will lead the Rockies against the Giants on Sunday in the series finale at AT&T Park at 2:05 p.m. MT.
Giants: Madison Bumgarner (7-4, 3.04 ERA) gets the ball Sunday at 1:05 p.m. PT for the Giants, who look to score a few more runs behind the ace of their staff than they have in his past three starts. The lefty has given up five earned runs while San Francisco's offense has scored just two runs in that span.
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