|
 Brown hit a pair of two-run homers to become the first Giants
player whose first three hits of a season were home runs since Kevin
Mitchell in 1991.
Hunter Pence added another two-run shot as the Giants continued
their slugging ways. They extended a franchise record by homering in
their first eight games to start a season. In that span, San
Francisco has 17 homers, tied with Colorado for the major league
lead.
Rockies wunderkind Trevor Story, who set a major league record with
seven homers in his first six career games, went 0-for-4 with three
strikeouts.
Samardzija, who signed a five-year, $90 million free agent contract
with the Giants in the offseason, was effective in a 111-pitch
effort. He allowed two runs and eight hits in eight innings, walking
two and striking out five while recording nine ground-ball outs.
In his San Francisco debut April 6, Samardzija (1-0) allowed three
runs on eight hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings at Milwaukee in
a no-decision.
"I was thinking maybe six, seven (innings), but I couldn't take him
out," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He just got better as he
went."
 After breaking up the Los Angeles Dodgers' no-hit bid with a home
run in the eighth inning Friday night, Brown has matched his
professional career high for home runs in five days. He hit three
homers in 2013 for low Class A Augusta.
"If I was thinking about the entire season, I thought I might end
with three," said Brown , whose multi-homer game was the first of
his pro career. "Knock on wood, I still might end with three. I
certainly didn't think my first three hits were going to be home
runs."
Pence singled home a run in the third and hit a two-run homer in the
fifth off Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood (1-1) that gave the Giants
a 3-1 lead. Brown connected off Chatwood with two outs in the sixth
to put the Giants ahead 5-2 and completed the scoring with another
homer off Jason Gurka with two outs in the eighth.
"I made two pitches that hurt me," said Chatwood, who started for
the second time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in July 2014.
"The pitch that Pence hit out was what we wanted to do. It got to
the spot, and he beat me to the spot. The other two-run homer with
two outs -- I left the ball up and he hit out of the park. Other
than that, I thought I did OK."
Samardzija gave up a run but minimized damage in the second when he
allowed back-to-back singles to open the inning but got Nick Hundley
to ground into a double play that brought home a run.
[to top of second column] |
Nolan Arenado flared a run-scoring single to short left-center with
two outs in the fifth, the ball eluding left fielder Angel Pagan.
Carlos Gonzalez, whose single extended his hitting streak to a
career-high 17 games dating to last season, tried to score from
first, but Pagan threw him out at the plate.
Arenado's hit was the last off Samardzija, who retired the final
nine batters he faced and retired the leadoff batter in six innings.
For just the second time in his past 11 starts, Samardzija did not
allow a home run. In five career games, two starts, at Coors Field,
Samardzija is 1-0 with a 2.01 ERA.
"I think in a park like this, you need a sinker, and I throw it a
lot," he said. "You just got to pitch off the barrel here. Nowadays,
that's kind of a given anywhere you pitch, but especially here."
After retiring Story on a grounder in the first, Samardzija struck
him out three consecutive times, finishing him off with a 96 mph
sinker in the third, a 95 mph sinker in the fifth and a 91 mph
cutter in the eighth.
"I was watching a lot of the stuff that he was hitting was middle
and middle in," Brown said. "So we just tried to work him away, and
if he was going to hit one out, hit it to the opposite side. I just
kind of went with my best guess tonight."
NOTES: Giants C Buster Posey was held out of the game for
precautionary reasons. He was available for use off the bench but
didn't play. A foul tip off the bat of Dodgers 2B Chase Utley struck
Posey in his right instep Sunday. ... Rockies RHP Jon Gray
(abdominal strain) is scheduled to make his second rehab start on
Friday for Class A Modesto and throw about 85 pitches. He felt fine
after allowing two runs in 4 2/3 innings for Modesto on Saturday. If
Gray comes through the next start without incident, he is expected
to be ready to join the Colorado rotation. ... Rockies RHP Jason
Motte (right shoulder strain) is pain-free, progressing with his
strengthening exercises at the Rockies' complex in Scottsdale,
Ariz., and will attempt to play catch in the next couple days. ...
Rockies LHP Tyler Anderson (right oblique strain) and LHP Tyler
Matzek (anxiety) threw bullpen sessions in Scottsdale, Ariz.
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
