Pence, Parker, Sanchez deliver a fantastic finish
Three HRs, including catcher's walk-off, punctuate Giants' last spring game in Arizona
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Giants closed out their Cactus League season in explosive fashion with three homers in the final three innings -- Hunter Pence's two-run shot and Jarrett Parker's grand slam preceded Hector Sanchez's walk-off drive -- in an 8-6 win over the Rockies on Wednesday at Scottsdale Stadium.
After the Rockies took a 6-0 lead against a shaky Matt Cain on the strength of Nolan Arenado's bat and Jorge De La Rosa's arm, Pence homered off closer LaTroy Hawkins in the seventh and Parker slammed one off Nick Masset to tie the game in the eighth. That homer came one pitch after Masset's wild pitch on strike three to Brandon Belt extended the inning.
Sanchez sent everybody home with a two-run shot off Rex Brothers in the bottom of the ninth. The Giants now head home to play the Oakland A's in the three-game Bay Bridge Series. San Francisco finished the Arizona portion of its exhibition schedule with a 16-11-1 record.
Arenado continued a hot spring by driving in three runs. The Rockies opened the scoring with a pair of first-inning runs off Cain. Charlie Blackmon walked, advanced to second base on an infield out and came home on Troy Tulowitzki's double. Carlos Gonzalez also doubled, sending in Tulowitzki.
Corey Dickerson walked and scored on Arenado's third-inning triple, widening Colorado's lead to 3-0.
Arenado, batting .373 this spring after a 2-for-4 effort, doubled home Tulowitzki and Gonzalez with a fifth-inning fly ball that the wind carried off the center-field barrier. Arenado advanced to third on Ryan Wheeler's single and scored on a forceout.
That provided ample support for De La Rosa, who blanked San Francisco on three hits through six innings.
Cain lasted five innings, allowing six runs and nine hits. He finished with a Cactus League ERA of 7.47 in four starts.
Masset started the eighth inning for the Rockies and got two quick outs. Then Juan Perez singled and stole second, and Tyler Colvin walked. Then Belt struck out swinging, but it was on a wild pitch by Masset, and Belt reached first. That extra out was penal, as Parker cracked the next pitch for a grand slam, tying the score at 6.
Up next: The ballclub will receive the opportunity to reacquaint itself with AT&T Park by playing the first two games of the Bay Bridge Series at home, starting with Thursday night's exhibition against the A's. Tim Hudson, the new member of the Giants' rotation, is scheduled to start against Oakland left-hander Scott Kazmir.