Arenado blasts Rockies past Giants

[July 06, 2016]  SAN FRANCISCO -- Nolan Arenado continued his powerful hitting against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night, blasting a three-run, seventh-inning home run that rallied the Colorado Rockies to a 7-3 victory.

The Rockies won on the 25th anniversary of Denver being awarded an expansion franchise.

Tyler Chatwood pitched effectively for five innings in his return from the disabled list, and the Colorado bullpen held the Giants to one run after that, allowing the Rockies to even the three-game series at a win apiece and the season series with the National League West leaders at 6-6.

The Rockies' six-man bullpen contingent included right-hander Adam Ottavino, who pitched in the majors for the first time since April 25, 2015. He returned from Tommy John surgery to retire the only batter he faced, Giants All-Star catcher Buster Posey, on a grounder to shortstop in the eighth inning.

Madison Bumgarner shut out the Rockies on four hits over six innings before being lifted in favor of right-hander George Kontos to start the seventh. Bumgarner had thrown only 96 pitches, the second fewest he totaled in a start this season.

Mark Reynolds and Nick Hundley greeted Kontos with singles.

Two outs and two pitchers later, DJ LeMahieu's infield chopper went for an RBI single when Giants third baseman Conor Gillaspie's throw to first base was off the mark, allowing Reynolds to score Colorado's first run of the game.

Giants right-hander Cory Gearrin (3-1) then got two strikes on Arenado before leaving a slider in the heart of the plate, which the slugger deposited well into the left field bleachers for a 4-2 lead.

The homer was Arenado's 14th in 31 games against the Giants since the start of last season, the most by any player against a single opponent over that span. Arenado's 45 RBIs against the Giants over that stretch also are tops among major-leaguers.

Arenado, selected to the NL All-Star team earlier in the day, has 23 home runs this season, second most in the NL to Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant's 25.

In snapping a season-high, six-game losing streak, the Rockies broke the game open in the eighth, getting RBI singles from Hundley and Charlie Blackmon. Giants right-hander Hunter Strickland also walked in a run.

The seven runs were four more than Colorado totaled in the first four games of its trip.

Right-hander Jordan Lyles (2-2), the Rockies' second pitcher, got the win.

LeMahieu had three hits and two RBIs for the Rockies (38-45), who trail the Giants (53-33) by 13 1/2 games in the NL West.

Blackmon, Reynolds and Hundley added two hits apiece in Colorado's 13-hit attack.

Brandon Belt had two hits and Angel Pagan scored twice for the Giants, who had won four of five and were looking to go 22 games over .500 for the first time this season.

 Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) is greeted at home plate after hitting a three run homer in the seventh inning of their MLB baseball game with the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

Mac Williamson, who earlier in the game made a spectacular sliding catch on Rockies shortstop Trevor Story with the bases loaded, capped the Giants' scoring with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth.

Bumgarner, one of three Giants named to the NL All-Star team Tuesday, walked two and struck out six.

It was the fourth time this season that he pitched at least six innings and didn't give up a run. He got a no-decision this time after having won the first three.

Chatwood was pulled after five innings, having thrown 88 pitches in his first outing since June 18.

He gave up two runs (one earned) and lowered his best-in-baseball road ERA to 1.29. He allowed three hits and four walks while striking out four.

NOTES: Giants C Buster Posey, LHP Madison Bumgarner and RHP Johnny Cueto, and Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado and RF Carlos Gonzalez were named to the National League All-Star team. Posey was voted by the fans to be a starter. ... San Francisco (1B Brandon Belt) and Colorado (SS Trevor Story) both have players among the five in the online vote that will decide the final member of the NL team. ... In order to reinstate RHP Tyler Chatwood (back spasms) from the 15-day disabled list and RHP Adam Ottavino (right elbow surgery) from the 60-day DL, the Rockies demoted RHP Eddie Butler to Triple-A Albuquerque and placed RHP Justin Miller (strained left oblique) on the 15-day DL. ... Giants OF Gregor Blanco (sore left knee) was a late scratch from the starting lineup after taking batting practice. ... Giants RF Hunter Pence (strained right hamstring) is tentatively scheduled for a rehab assignment by the end of the week, with hopes he could return to the club after the All-Star break.

[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.