DENVER -- The Giants could be forgiven for believing that they didn't lose a thing Thursday night, though leg injuries robbed them of Buster Posey and Eduardo Nunez by game's end and the final score read Colorado 10, San Francisco 9.
Posey and Nunez, as it turned out, weren't seriously injured. Posey related that pain shot through his surgically repaired left ankle as he hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning. However, he insisted he felt much better after receiving medical treatment. Nunez experienced tightness in his left hamstring after beating out an infield single to open the seventh, but he predicted he'll be back in the lineup before this four-game series ends.
The game itself lacked the hopelessness that has accompanied many Giants defeats this season. San Francisco trailed 9-1 after six innings. But Posey's homer launched a rally that featured some unlikely events and left the Giants feeling more encouraged than discouraged.
"We made [Colorado] earn that win," center fielder Denard Span said.
The Giants' optimism began with the medical report. Posey explained that hitting against his front foot -- his left -- might have torn some scar tissue. His condition had improved by the time he left Coors Field.
"As far as swelling goes, to the [naked] eye it's not very swollen, so all in all I was happy about it because it was pretty painful," he said.
Nunez aggravated his hamstring on a stolen-base attempt during the recent Minnesota series and has been receiving treatment since then.
"I think maybe one or two days will take care of this thing," he said.

Even without Posey, who's batting .356, and Nunez, who's resting at .300, the Giants steadily built their hit total to 17, tying a season high.
That figure included a career-high four hits from rookie left fielder Austin Slater, who's batting .405. Slater's defensive doings were just as noteworthy, since he took over at third base for the sidelined Nunez. The Giants had no choice, since reserve infielders Aaron Hill and Kelby Tomlinson already had been used as pinch-hitters. Slater, who played second base in the Minors in 2015, handled his only chance flawlessly.
Other big hits included Brandon Crawford's eighth-inning homer, the team's first three-run clout of the season, and Nick Hundley's solo shot after he replaced Posey. Also in the eighth, saddled with an empty bench but needing a pinch-hitter for reliever Josh Osich, manager Bruce Bochy called upon left-hander Ty Blach, who grounded an RBI single up the middle.

Asked if he issued any specific instructions to Blach, Bochy replied, "'Get a base hit.' That's all I said."
For one night, it seemed that simple.