Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

Pence slugs two homers to back Bumgarner

Giants' Opening Night starter pitches five scoreless innings, hits RBI single

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Hunter Pence homered twice Friday to propel the San Francisco Giants to a 4-0 exhibition victory over the Colorado Rockies.

Pence, who entered the game batting .231 with one homer, drove a 2-0 pitch from Rockies starter Christian Friedrich over the left-field barrier to lead off San Francisco's second inning. Two innings later, Pence cleared the right-center-field fence when he connected with a 1-2 delivery from Friedrich, who was sent to Minor League camp Thursday.

The Giants generated more offense in the fourth as Juan Perez singled and came around to score on Madison Bumgarner's single.

San Francisco added a seventh-inning run on Kelby Tomlinson's bases-loaded, fielder's-choice grounder.

Bumgarner continued to tune up for his March 31 Opening Night start at Arizona, yielding two hits in five innings.

"Things are going my way right now, for whatever reason," said Bumgarner, who has pitched 10 scoreless innings in three exhibition starts against Major League opponents. "I feel good for this point in the spring."

Rockies pitching prospect Eddie Butler pitched effectively, yielding one run and four hits in three innings.

Up next: Manager Bruce Bochy will divide his roster for split-squad games at home against Oakland and on the road against Seattle. Matt Cain, who has constructed a scintillating pitching line in two Cactus League starts (one hit allowed, zero walks and nine strikeouts in eight innings), will oppose the A's, while Edwin Escobar will face the Mariners. The 21-year-old Escobar occasionally has struggled with command in his three starts, walking five in six innings. But he has yielded just one run.

Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Haft-Baked Ideas, and follow him on Twitter at @sfgiantsbeat.
Read More: San Francisco Giants, Madison Bumgarner, Kelby Tomlinson, Hunter Pence