Rockies 10, Giants 9
DENVER -- Jordan Pacheco makes consistent contact, rarely gives away at-bats and in his brief time in the majors with the Colorado Rockies has proven to be a professional hitter.
He has shown the ability to use all fields and drive balls into the gaps. For the second time this season, manager Walt Weiss batted Pacheco eighth on Friday night, knowing the patient Pacheco would not expand the strike zone and do anything out of the ordinary with the pitcher batting behind him.
But with one memorable first-pitch swing in the fifth inning, Pacheco did something rather unexpected if not downright shocking. He hit his first career grand slam, launching a Madison Bumgarner slider into the stands in left-center to highlight a five-run inning that gave the Rockies a four-run lead over the San Francisco Giants and sent them on their way to a 10-9 victory.
Pacheco went 2-for-4 with a career-high five RBIs, driving in a run on a ground out in the second. He had not hit a home run in his first 81 at-bats this season, which was hardly surprising. During his fine rookie season last year -- he hit .309 to finish fifth in the National League in batting and lead all NL rookies. In 475 at-bat, Pacheco hit only five homers.
In a swing that was by no means as jaw-dropping as Pacheco's, Carlos Gonzalez hit his 10th homer in the sixth as the Rockies ended a 10-game losing streak against the Giants. The victory was just the 10th for Colorado in 41 games with the Giants since the start of the 2011 season and only the sixth in 20 games at Coors Field during that stretch.
The Giants helped the Rockies with some shoddy defense. They made four errors in the first three innings, including two in a three-run third. Jorge De La Rosa managed to weave his way through five innings, giving up nine hits and five runs, but he fared better than Bumgarner, who left after throwing 102 pitches, the final one to Pacheco, in a season-low 4 2/3 innings.
Edgmer Escalona relieved De La Rosa and sailed through the sixth, but didn't retire any of the three batters he faced in the seventh. He gave up a walk and a triple, was charged with a wild pitch, even though catcher Wilin Rosario moved the wrong way. Brett Pill followed with a double.
Rex Brothers gave up a run-scoring single to pinch-hitter Joaquin Arias, the first batter he faced, cutting the Rockies' lead to 10-8.
With two out and a runner on third, center fielder Dexter Fowler saved a run by dashing into right-center and diving to catch a drive hit by Angel Pagan and short-circuit that rally.
Matt Belisle gave up a homer to Buster Posey with two out in the eighth, and Hunter Pence followed with a double, lining a ball over right fielder Eric Young Jr., who made a futile leap. But Belisle got Pill to ground out to end the threat.
Rafael Betancourt struck out the side in the ninth to earn his 10th save in as many opportunities.
Aftern Bumgarner walked D.J. Le Mahieu to load the bases with two out in the fifth, Giants manager Bruce Bochy had a decision to make.
With Bumgarner due to lead off the sixth, Bochy left him in to face Pacheco. Pacheco made the Giants pay for their mistake by belting Bumgarner's first pitch into the left-field stands to highlight a five-run inning and give the Rockies a 9-5 lead.
NOTES: Pitcher Tyler Chatwood will be activated to start Saturday for the Rockies. Juan Nicasio will be given one additional day of rest and start Sunday. Chatwood, who is replacing injured Jeff Francis in the rotation, last pitched Sunday for Triple-A Colorado Springs. Reliever Rob Scahill is expected to be optioned to Colorado Springs to make room on the roster for Chatwood. Scahill was recalled Thursday when Francis was placed on the 15-day disabled list and pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings that night against the Giants. ... Rockies RF Michael Cuddyer (inflammed cervical disc) had no pain Friday, according to trainer Keith Dugger. Cuddyer had gotten back almost full range of motion. He will start some baseball activity Saturday such as playing catch and maybe some dry swings. Cuddyer is eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list on May 24 and Dugger said, "It'll be close." ... Francis (left groin strain) played catch Friday. He said he was "still a bit sore but better than yesterday, which is encouraging." He is eligible to be activated May 30. ... LeMahieu, who was recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs on Thursday and hit a pinch-single that night, started at second base. ... 1B Todd Helton, who was not in the Rockies' lineup, hit his 357th career home run on Thursday, putting him one shy of Hall of Famer Yogi Berra and Carlos Lee, who rank 78th all time. The home run was also Helton's 966th career extra-base hit, which ranks 43rd all time. He is three extra-base hits shy of tying Jeff Bagwell for 42nd all time. ... When the Giants rallied from a 6-0 deficit on Thursday to win 8-6, it was the first time they won a game in which they trailed by six or more runs since Sept. 23, 2005, when they were also down 6-0 to the Rockies at Coors Field and won 7-6. ... Pill, a right-handed hitter, started at first base for the Giants against De La Rosa. De La Rosa had limited opposing right-handed hitters to a .234 batting average. Lefties were hitting .235 against him with no homers in 34 at-bats. Bochy said left-handed hitting Brad Belt will start at first base in the final two games of the series, so this was a chance to get Pill in the lineup.
