Rockies 10, Giants 2
DENVER -- Tyler Chatwood advanced his cause on Saturday night. He would like to stay in the Colorado Rockies' rotation rather than make a few starts in place of an injured pitcher and then go back to Triple-A.
That's what happened last month. Chatwood made two starts in place of Jhoulys Chacin, and pitched well in the second. But Juan Nicasio, plagued by high pitch counts, was nonetheless kept in the rotation when manager Walt Weiss said he wanted to stay with the starters who had opened the season with the Rockies.
In the Rockies' 10-2 win over the San Francisco Giants, Chatwood allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up seven hits and four walks, but he overcame any inefficiency by getting seven outs on ground balls and four strikeouts.
Nicasio will start Sunday against the Giants and knows he needs to improve to remain in the rotation.
Josh Outman pitched two innings in relief of Chatwood, getting the final out in the sixth with runners on first and second and giving up a run in the eighth on an infield hit.
Troy Tulowitzki went 4 for 5 with a two-run single in the three-run eighth. Dexter Fowler, putting a slump behind him, went 3 for 5 with two RBI and three runs scored.
Wilin Rosario drove in three runs, two in the fifth on his ninth homer and the other on an infield single in the seventh. He has seven RBI in his past three games after going 11 games without driving in a run.
The win gave the Rockies consecutive victories for the first time since April 20 when they won their season-high eighth straight game. It was just the fourth win for the Rockies in their past 11 games.
Rosario's two-run shot with two out in the fifth increased the Rockies' lead to 6-1.
After making a costly throwing error in the third, Giants starter Tim Lincecum balked in the fourth, setting up a run that gave the Rockies a 4-1 lead.
Lincecum gave up a one-out single to Nolan Arenado and then slipped and fell while attempting to deliver a pitch to Charlie Blackmon. Blackmon moved Arenado to third with a fly to center, and pitcher Tyler Chatwood lined a single up the middle to score Arenado.
Shoddy San Francisco defense had reached the point where manager Bruce Bochy called a brief team meeting before the game. But it was more of the same early on as the Giants made two errors in the first three innings.
Catcher Buster Posey's throwing error in the first wasn't costly, but Lincecum's throwing error in the third fueled a three-run inning.
Fowler doubled home the first run in the third, scoring Blackmon, who had walked. Josh Rutledge hit a nubber to the left of the mound. Lincecum slipped as he got to the ball and made an ill-advised, off-balance throw that sailed past first base, allowing Fowler to score and Rutledge to reach third. Rutledge scored on a groundout by Carlos Gonzalez.
The Giants scored a run in the second when Brandon Belt doubled with one out and Gregor Blanco followed with a single. After Blanco stole second, No. 8 hitter Brandon Crawford was intentionally walked and Lincecum struck out.
Chatwood gave up a walk and a single to Pablo Sandoval with two out in the fifth. But Chatwood retired Posey on a one-hopper to the mound.
NOTES: The Giants made four errors Friday, giving them nine in four games on their current road trip. Bochy held one of his infrequent team meetings before Saturday's game. "I thought I should check in with the club," Bochy said. "That's all it was. We just talked about a few things." Bochy said no players spoke at the meeting and didn't reveal what was discussed. But when he spoke later with reporters, it was obvious that defense was discussed. "Nine errors in four games, 13 in 10 games. That's too much," Bochy said. ... The Giants recalled RHP Jean Machi and optioned 1B Brett Pill to Triple-A Fresno. The move gives the Giants an additional reliever and 13 pitchers on their staff. "We've used these guys quite a bit," Bochy said of the bullpen. "It's fair to say we've gone to them a little earlier than they're accustomed to. We'll see how it goes here for a while with 13 pitchers. I can't tell you how long. Until we get more consistency from the starters, we'll be like this for a while." Machi will be making his second appearance with the Giants this season. He was with them from April 17 to May 7 and is 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA in nine games. At Fresno, he pitched nine scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts in seven games. ... Rockies RHP Rob Scahill was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs to make room on the roster for Chatwood, who started Saturday. Scahill was brought up Thursday when LHP Jeff Francis (left groin strain) went on the disabled list and that night pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings against the Giants. The Rockies have 39 players on their 40-man roster. ... Giants 2B Marco Scutaro extended his hitting streak to 17 games. He singled on each of his first two at-bats. ... Bochy said Nick Noonan, who has started just twice in the past 27 games, would start Sunday afternoon at second base. ... Rockies manager Walt Weiss said C Yorvitt Torrealba will start Sunday afternoon, marking the first time he will be in the lineup when struggling Juan Nicasio starts. ... Rockies RF Michael Cuddyer (inflamed cervical disc) resumed baseball activity. He played catch and took swings in the indoor cage. He said the shot he received Tuesday to relieve the stiffness and soreness in his neck began to take effect 48 hours later. Cuddyer expects to come off the 15-day disabled list when he is eligible to do so Friday at San Francisco. Cuddyer is likely to have a brief rehab assignment before then. ... INF Reid Brignac, whom the Rockies designated for assignment Thursday, was traded to the New York Yankees for cash considerations reported to be $75,000. ... According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Jordan Pacheco's grand slam Friday was the fifth hit by the Rockies against the Giants since the Rockies began play in 1993. All five grand slams have come at Coors Field, with Dante Bichette, Preston Wilson, Mark Sweeney and Ryan Spilborghs hitting the others.
