San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Giants not giving in an inch stay ahead of Dodgers; Heading home for series with Arizona Tuesday

San Francisco Giants slugger Brandon Belt who hit two home runs on Sat Sep 25, 2021 as seen against the Colorado Rockies and one the night before on Fri Sep 24, 2021 as Belt has been hitting the big fly what seems like every other night (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Marko:

#1 With the Giants (101-54) they’re just having a bang up September with the Los Angeles Dodgers (99-56) just behind the Giants continue to find ways to defy the laws of falling into second place.

#2 Brandon Belt has been paving the way with Oh Captain, My Captain he’s been the home run trend setter with the home run ball on Friday night in Colorado and his teammates followed through with three more homers the Giants in that five run 7-2 win

#3 Marko, if you like 7-2 scores this was a series for you the Giants repeated the same victory total with another five run win on Saturday at Coors Field and got three run rallies in the top of the fifth and eighth innings to cement their leads and guess who got two home runs Oh Captain.

#4 The Giants got some good pitching out of starter Kevin Gausman on Sunday at Coors who pitched six innings, three hits, an earned run, and 11 strikeouts before he left at the end of the sixth.

#5 Tuesday night the Giants host the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle to open a six game homestand how important is it in a tight race like this in the NL West for the Giants to sew these last few games at home?

Marko is filling in for Morris Phillips for Giants podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants sweep Rockies at Coors Field 6-2; Belt hand injured had to leave game

San Francisco Giants Brandon Belt hurt his hand when hit by a pitch in the seventh inning by Colorado Rockies reliever Lucas Gilbreath at Coors Field in Denver on Sun Sep 26, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

Once again, there was late innings heroics for the San Francisco Giants and this time it was Tommy La Stella who came up with the big hit.

La Stella came off the bench and picked up a pinch-hit single that scored Steven Duggar with the eventual game-winning run in the top of the ninth inning, as the Giants completed a three-game sweep with a 6-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

With the victory, the lead for the Giants stayed at two games with six games to go over the Los Angeles Dodgers and the magic number for the Giants to clinch the National League West is five.

This was the second time this season and in the month of September that the Rockies were swept at home, and it is the longest such streak by the Giants at Coors Field since the facility was opened in 1995.

The Giants won seven in a row at old Mile High Stadium, from May 11, 1993 until June 23, 1994 and the Giants ended the season with a 15-4 record against the Rockies in 2021, tying the record for the most wins in a season against an opponent, as they went 15-3 versus the Houston Astros in 1965.

Brandon Belt was forced to leave the game in the top of the seventh inning, when he was on the left thumb on a 93 mile per hour fastball thrown by Rockies reliever Lucas Gilbreath.

After Belt was checked out by Giants trainer Dave Groeschner and manager Gabe Kapler, he went to first base and was eventually replaced by Flores when the Giants returned to the field in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Flores committed a huge fielding error in the bottom of the seventh inning off the bat of Sam Hilliard that sent C.J. Cron to second base. With Cron and Hilliard on bases, Zack Littell committed a balk and then Elias Diaz reached on a ground ball that was overturned on a ball fielded by Donovan Solano that allowed Cron to score the tying run.

Cron scored the Rockies first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he hit his 28th home run of the season.

Following the La Stella single, Brandon Crawford broke the game wide open, when he hit an opposite field three-run home run just out of the reach of Raimel Tapia in left field to lengthen the lead up to 6-2.

Crawford gave the Giants an early 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning, as he drove in a run when he grounded out to score La Monte Wade, Jr., from third base.

Denver-area native Kevin Gausman pitched the first six innings for the Giants, as he allowed just one run on three hits, not allowing a walk and struck out 11 and was in line for the win until Cron scored the tying run in the bottom of the seventh inning and ended up with a no-decision.

Jose Alvarez, Littell, Doval and Kervin Castro came on to finish the game for the Giants, who raised their record to 102-54 on the season.

Doval pitched the eighth inning and struck out the side to pick up his fifth win of the season against just one loss.

NOTES: Belt is the first Giants player with at least 29 home runs in a season since Barry Bonds hit 45 in 2004…he’s also the first Giants first baseman to hit at least 29 since Will Clark did so in 1991 and Clark is the last Giants first baseman to hit at least 30 homers (35 in 1987).

The Giants ended the road portion of their schedule with a record of 53-28 (.654), tying the 1993 team for the second-most road wins in team history and only trailing the 1912 New York Giants, who won 54 road games.

UP NEXT: After an off-day on Monday, the Giants begin a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night at Oracle Park.

Belt homers twice in Giants win 7-2 over Rockies

Another one belted San Francisco Giant Brandon Belt watches the ball after tagging it for three run home run in the top of the fifth inning at Coors Field in Denver on Sat Sep 25, 2021 (AP News)

By Jeremy Kahn

On a night where the Colorado Rockies celebrated one of the best players in team history, the San Francisco Giants were trying to make history of their own.

Brandon Belt hit two home runs, helping the Giants to a 7-2 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field and with the victory, coupled with the Arizona Diamondbacks victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field, the Giants lead in the National League West increased to two games with seven remaining and the magic number for the Giants to win the division drops to five.

When Belt his second home run of the game off of Jon Gray in the top of the fifth inning, it was the 29th home run of the season for Belt and the 236th of the season for the Giants, passing the 2001 team for the most in team history.

Belt gave the Giants an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, as he connected for a solo home run off of Gray.

This was the eighth multi-home run game for Belt in his career, as he followed up the solo home run with a three-run home run in the top of the fifth inning.

Prior to the game, the Rockies honored Larry Walker, who was recently inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, as they retired his number 33. It is just the second number retired in the history of the Rockies, as he joins Todd Helton, whose number 17 was retired by the Rockies on August 17, 2014.

Anthony DeSclafani went just four innings for the Giants, as he was replaced by a pinch-hitter in the top of the fifth inning. Since the month of July, DeSclafani went over the 90-pitch just once for the NL West leaders, who are now 14-4 against the Rockies this season with one more game to go.

Tony Watson picked up his seventh win of the season, as the Giants used six relievers after DeSclafani was lifted in the top of the fifth inning.

In his four innings of work, DeSclafani allowed two runs on five hits, walked one and struck out three in the no-decision.

The Rockies tried to make the game interesting in the bottom of the ninth inning, as they hit three consecutive singles; however, Dominic Leone was able to get out of the jam, when he got C.J. Cron grounded out to end the game.

Gray went 4.2 innings, allowing four runs on five hits, did not walk a batter and struck out five, as his record dropped to 8-12 on the season.

NOTES: Mike Yastrzemski, who left the game on Friday night with a knee injury came off the as a pinch-hitter in the top of the eighth inning and hit a two-run single that extended the Giants lead up to 7-2. Yastrzemski eventually remained in the game following his pinch-hit appearance.

With the 101 wins on the season, the Giants have won 100 or more games eight time in their history, and are tied with the Atlanta Braves and the Dodgers for the fourth-most in Major League history, only the New York Yankees (21), the Oakland Athletics (10) and the St. Louis Cardinals (9) have more 100 plus win seasons.

The Giants were the first team to 50 wins this season, the first to 60 wins, the first to 70, 80, 90 and now the first to 100 wins…the Giants haven’t been the first team to 100 wins since 1913.

UP NEXT: Kevin Gausman goes for his 15th win of the season, as the Giants close out their regular season road schedule. Antonio Senzatela takes the mound for the Rockies in the finale, as he looks for his fifth win of the season.

Giants reach 100 wins on the season, beat Rockies 7-2 to hit three digit mark

San Francisco Giants Kris Bryant flies out in the top of the fourth against the Colorado Rockies on Fri Sep 24, 2021 at Coors Field in Denver (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

Who would have ever thought that the 2021 San Francisco Giants would do something that the organization as a whole accomplished only seven times prior its 139-year history?

Backed by four home runs, the Giants defeated the Colorado Rockies 7-2 at Coors Field and with the victory, the Giants have won their 100th game of the season. Also, with the Giants maintained their first-place position in the National League West and their magic number lowers to eight.

Tommy La Stella led off the top of the first inning with a home run off of Peter Lambert, who was making his season debut for the Rockies after missing the entire shortened 2020 season due to undergoing Tommy John surgery.

The La Stella home run gave the Giants a quick 1-0 lead; however, the lead would not last long, as the Rockies tied the game in the bottom of the first when Charlie Blackmon hit an opposite field single to score Raimel Tapia with the tying run. Elias Diaz gave the Rockies the lead, when Elias Diaz to right field to score Brendan Rodgers.

Unfortunately, for the Rockies, that lead would only last into the top of the second inning, when Brandon Crawford hit his 22nd home run of the season into the second deck of the right field seats.

Brandon Belt gave the Giants the lead for good in the top of the sixth inning, when he hit his team-leading 27th home run.

Mike Yastrzemski hit the fourth and final home run of the game, as he hit a three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning, as the Giants broke the game wide open. Buster Posey drove in the seventh and final run of the game for the Giants in the top of that same seventh inning, when Wilmer Flores scored.

Alex Wood went just four innings, allowing two runs on six hits, he did not walk a batter and struck out seven; however, he did not fare in the decision, as the game turned into a bullpen game.

La Stella, who hit a home run to lead off the game went 3-for-5 on the evening.

Kervin Castro went two innings, and continues to impress, as he allowed a hit and struck out two and picked up his first Major League victory.

Castro turned the ball over to Tony Watson, who threw a perfect seventh inning and then Tyler Rogers came on in the bottom of the eighth inning, and despite giving up three hits, Rogers struck out two and the Rockies left the bases loaded, when Rogers got Ryan McMahon on a called third strike to end the inning and get out of the jam.

Camilo Doval came on to finish it out for the Giants, and despite giving up a hit to Tapia, Doval got Brendan Rodgers to strikeout for the second out after Rodgers started the night by going 3-for-4 against Giants pitching.

Lambert went the first 3.2 innings for the Rockies in his first start of the Rockies, as he allowed two runs on four hits, walked one and struck out two.

Ashton Goudeau came on to replace Lambert and went 2.1 innings, allowing four runs on four hits, striking out two and gave up two home runs to Belt and Yastrzemski and lost for the first time in his MLB career.

NOTES: This team, who was projected to win 75 games this season became the eighth team to reach the 100-win plateau.

The Giants join the 1904 NY Giants (106), 1905 NY Giants (105), 1912 NY Giants (103), 1962 SF Giants (103), 1993 SF Giants (103), 1913 NY Giants (101) and 2003 SF Giants (100) as previous teams to reach triple digits in wins.

With four more home runs tonight, the Giants have now hit 234 home runs on the season, moving within one of tying the 2001 team for the most home runs by the team in history of the franchise.

Also with the four home runs on the evening, this was the 17th time that the Giants have hit at four home runs or more in a game, stretching their MLB lead up over the Toronto Blue Jays.

UP NEXT: Anthony DeSclafani goes for his 13th win of the season on Saturday night, while Jon Gray will take the mound for the Rockies in search for his ninth win of the season.

San Francisco Giants podcast Michael Duca: Newly signed Jewell hopes to get call up; Cueto’s future in question suffering from strained elbow

San Francisco Giants pitcher Jake Jewell hopes to get off to a great start with his new club after struggling with his old club the Chicago Cubs. Jewell will face his old teammates as the Giants open a three game series against the Cubs Friday afternoon. (photo from mercurynews.com)

On San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 Michael the Giants have brought up Jake Jewell, Jewell had struggled with the Chicago Cubs this season with an ERA of 9.90 and appeared in ten games with the Cubs with ten strikeouts and five walks in ten innings.

#2 Jewell joins the Giants but will not be eligible for post season because he missed the post game deadline, Jewell is someone the Giants are hoping to help. He was optioned to Triple A Sacramento do you see him joining the big club before the season is over?

#3 The Giants are maintaining they won the three game series against the Colorado Rockies in Denver and hold a two game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers and visit the Chicago Cubs for a three game series on Friday morning at Wrigley Field. The Giants have won five of their last ten can they hold onto first place for the rest of the way.

#4 The Steven Duggar had himself a ball game on Tuesday against the Rockies with two triples, a double, and three RBIs. Duggar is hitting .223 and seeing the ball well how important has he been contributing at the plate and helping the Giants stay in first place.’

#5 The Cubs are a struggling team they have lost eight of their last ten games and sit in fourth in the NL Central this should be a breeze for the Giants in the upcoming three game series Friday.

Join Michael each week for the San Francisco Giants podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Best in MLB Giants first team to win 90; SF scores 4 in 9th for 7-4 win

San Francisco Giants closer Jake McGee (left) congratulates right fielder LaMonte Wade Jr (right) following the last out after Wed Sep 8, 2021 game against the Colorado Rockies in Denver (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

The San Francisco Giants (90-50) became the first team in the league to win 90 games this season after beating the Colorado Rockies (63-77) 7-4 on Wednesday to finish a three-game sweep at Coors Field.

LaMonte Wade Jr. and Evan Longoria had two RBIs each within a four-run rally in the ninth inning. Brandon Crawford hit a home run and Brandon Belt logged three hits.

The Rockies led 4-3 when Carlos Estévez walked Buster Posey at the start of the ninth and two singles loaded the bases. Wade singled on a line drive to right fielder Charlie Blackmon, allowing Mauricio Dubon and Thairo Estrada to score and giving the Giants a 5-4 lead.

Crawford said of Wade: “He’s had so many big hits for us this year. Down to our last strike a couple of times and then so many tiebreaker, go-ahead base hits for us. He’s been a huge for us.”

Longoria doubled on a fly ball to center fielder Garrett Hamspon and Belt and Wade scored, boosting the Giants to 7-4.

Giants manager Gabe Kapler said “Longo’s hit was as big as any” since “Estévez is a big challenge.”

“He’s throwing 98 mph bowling balls up there and one of the tougher at-bats for right-handed hitters,” Kapler said of the Rockies pitcher.

Giants starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani gave up three consecutive singles and had one out in five innings. Left-handed pitcher Jake McGee hit the mound in the ninth inning and earned his 30th save.

Wednesday was the end of 16 straight days of baseball for the Giants, during which they went 10-6.

“We did a nice job through a very difficult stretch of games and (at) some point we’ll look back and really recognize what a grind that was,” Kapler said.

San Francisco (90-50) is first in the NL West, 1.5 games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Giants went into Wednesday’s game only one game ahead of the defending champions.

The Giants have the day off on Thursday and start a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs on Friday. First pitch is at 11:30 a.m.

Webb dominant in Giants win 12-3

San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb makes a quick pick off move to catch the Colorado Rockies base runner Brendan Rogers leaning off first base in the bottom of the third inning at Coors Field in Denver on Tue Sep 7, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

After taking the opener of the series, the San Francisco Giants did not waste any time to get on the board.

The Giants, behind three consecutive doubles to start the game, helped them to an 12-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. With the victory, the Giants maintain their one-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League after the Dodgers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 at Busch Stadium.

Tommy La Stella, Brandon Belt and Buster Posey each doubled in the top of the first inning, helping the Giants grab a 3-0 lead even before the Rockies came to the plate for the first time in the game.

Belt doubled In La Stella, then Posey doubled in Belt, and after LaMonte Wade, Jr., grounded out for the first out of the inning that sent Posey to third, Brandon Crawford singled in Posey for the third run of the inning.

The three doubles by the Giants to start the game were a San Francisco era first, as it was the first time that the team started a game with three consecutive doubles.

The three runs is all that Logan Webb needed, as he went seven innings, allowing three runs on nine hits, Webb did not walk a batter and struck out six on his way to his ninth win of the season.

After scoring three runs in the top of the first inning, the Giants added two more runs in the top of the second inning. Webb helped out his own cause, when he doubled to left field that scored Steven Duggar, who tripled with one out in the inning.

C.J. Cron got the Rockies on the board in the bottom of the fourth, as the National League Player of the Month for the month of August, doubled to center field to score Charlie Blackmon.

The Giants broke the game wide open in the top of the fifth inning, as Duggar hit his second triple of the game that scored Wade, Jr., Evan Longoria and Mike Yastrzemski.

Duggar is the first Giants player to have two triples in a game since Stephen Vogt did so on June 15, 2019 against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Longoria got in on RBI crew in the top of the seventh inning, as he into a force play and then Yastrzemski hit his career-high 22nd home run to lengthen the Giants lead up to 11-1.

The Rockies tried to cut into the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Josh Fuentes singled off of Webb to score Ryan McMahon and then Rio Ruiz drove in the final run of the game for the Rockies.

That seventh inning would be the end of the line for Webb, who set a San Francisco era record by allowing two runs or less in a start came to a halt.

Webbs streak was the best by a pitcher for the team since Ferdie Schupp went 16 in a row from 1916-1917. Also, only seven pitchers in the modern era have put together longer streak.

Kervin Castro made his major-league debut in the bottom of the eighth inning, and went two innings, giving up two hits and striking out one.

Yastrzemski put the final touches on the scoring in the top of the ninth inning, as he singled to right field to score Longoria.

Both Crawford and Duggar picked up three hits for the Giants, who ended the night with 15 hits.

NOTES: Jake Jewell was claimed off of waivers by the Giants from the Dodgers, and was assigned to Sacramento.

When Thairo Estrada picked up two home runs on Monday, it was the fifth and sixth home runs of the season for Estrada and he is the 16th different Giants player to hit five or more home runs on the season. In doing so, the Giants are the first team in National League history to have 16 players with five or more home runs in a season.

Dominic Leone finished the game for the Giants on Monday, a day after he started the game for the Giants versusthe Dodgers on Sunday and according to Sportradar, the last Giants pitcher to record the first out in one game and the last in a game the very next day was Eric Gunderson…Gunderson started on April 23, 1990 at San Diego and recorded the game’s first out before recording the last out vs. Pittsburgh on April 24, 1990.

UP NEXT: Anthony DeSclafani goes for his 12th win of the season for the Giants in the finale, while the Rockies will send Jon Gray to the mound.

Wood wins his 10th of the season defeats Rockies 5-2

San Francisco Giants starter Alex Wood throws against the Colorado Rockies line up in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Aug 15, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Two of the biggest plays of the series finale between the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies came within minutes of each other.

Lamonte Wade, Jr., threw out Elias Diaz at the plate on a Connor Joe base hit that preserved the Giants led to end the top of the seventh inning and then Kris Bryant came off the bench to reach on a botched fielding play between Joe and Garrett Hampson that allowed Bryant to reach on a fielding error, as the Giants defeated the Rockies 5-2 before a crowd of 33,337 at Oracle Park.

Bryant reached second on the fielding error, then he gave the Giants a two-run cushion, when pinch hitter Austin Slater doubled in Bryant.

After Darin Ruf, the third pinch hitter in a row for the Giants was hit by a pitch on his elbow guard, Tommy LaStella singled to load the bases, and Wilmer Flores singled in Slater for the second run of the inning.

Brandon Belt was unable to drive in a run that could have broken the game wide open, as he flew out to Joe in left field for the first out of the inning. Just like Belt, Brandon Crawford was unable to help out at the plate, as he struck out for the second time in a row.

Robert Stephenson was able to get out of the jam, as he got Mike Yastrzemski to pop out to Ryan McMahon to end the threat.

Alex Wood pitched the first 6.2 innings for the Giants, as he gave up two runs on six hits, walking two and striking out six.

It was the 10th win of the season for Wood, who raises his record to 9-0 in games following a loss and the Giants are now 11-0 as a team in games Wood starts following a team loss.

With the victory, the Giants are now 40-18 at home this season, the best home record in the major leagues and just ahead of the Chicago White Sox, who are 40-21.

This was the Giants seventh win in a row in day games, and have won nine out of their last 10 games in day games.

The Giants finally got to Rockies starter Jon Gray in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Curt Casali singled to centerfield to score Yastrzemski, who led off the inning with a single, then stole his third base of the season. Following a walk to Wood to load the bases, Wade, Jr., struck out for the first out. Tommy LaStella hit a two-run double that just missed being a grand slam by inches to give the Giants a 3-0 lead.

Gray went 4.1 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out five and saw his record fall to 7-9 on the season.

Diaz got the Rockies on the board in the top of the seventh inning, as he singled to score Hampson. Charlie Blackmon came off the bench to single Yonathan Daza to get the Rockies within one run; however, Dominic Leone was able to get out of the jam, when Wade made that great throw to get Diaz to end the inning.

NOTES: Jay Jackson was reinstated form the injured list prior to the game, while Sammy Long was optioned to Sacramento. Luis Gonzalez was recalled from Sacramento and placed on the 60-day Major League Injured List, as he recovers from right shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum.

This is the Giants second best start thru 118 games since the team moved to California in 1958, trailing only the 1993 team that was 79-39 thru the same amount of games.

UP NEXT: Kevin Gausman takes the mound on Monday night, as he searches for his 12th win of the season, while Rich Hill will go for his seventh win of the season for the New York Mets. This is the beginning of a stretch that the Giants will see each other six times over the next 9 games, that concludes on August 26 at Citi Field in New York.

Big error costs Giants winning streak to Rockies 4-1

Colorado Rockies centerfielder Yonathan Daza gloves then drops the ball on a San Francisco Giants Tommy LaStella base hit in the bottom of the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-On the night when Evan Longoria returned to the starting lineup for the San Francisco Giants, it was a costly error by another Giants infielder that eventually cost them their six-game winning streak.

Ryan McMahon hit a ball that Donovan Solano was unable to corral for an error, and that allowed Trevor Story from third base and the Colorado Rockies defeated the Giants 4-1 before a crowd of 32,282 at Oracle Park.

Brendan Rodgers led off the inning with a single that extended his hitting streak up to 16 games to lead off the inning, then Trevor Story singled and then Charlie Blackmon walk to load the bases with nobody out off of eventual losing pitcher Dominic Leone. C.J. Cron then drove in the eventual game-winning run, as he was able to leg out ball that was handled by Brandon Crawford, who flipped the ball from his glove to Solano for the first out; however, Cron was able to the throw to first base.

Leone went 0.1 innings, allowing two runs on two hits and walked one before being replaced by Jose Alvarez, as he fell to 2-2 on the season.

Solano then made the fielding error that extended the inning, as Story scored from third base with the second run of the inning.

Cron gave the Rockies an early lead in the top of the second inning, as he led off the top of the second inning with a solo home run off of starting pitcher Sammy Long.

The Giants tied it up in the bottom of the second inning, when Solano singled to centerfield and Longoria scored the tying run. Longoria reached on a fluke hit base hit that saw Cron unable to catch the wind drawn pop-up.

Long went two innings for the Giants, as he allowed one run on two hits, walked one and struck out four.

Zack Littell, who picked up the save on Friday night came on to replace Long and he went the next three innings, allowing just a walk and striking out four.

Kyle Freeland pitched the first six innings, allowing one run on five hits, walking one and striking out two and won for the fourth time on the season.

The Rockies added on an insurance run in the top of the eighth inning, as McMahon grounded into a fielders choice that saw Crawford tag out Cron.

NOTES: With Longoria being activated from the 60-day disabled list and being recalled from his rehabilitation assignment. Long was also recalled from Sacramento and too make room for Longoria, Thairo Estrada was optioned to Sacramento, and Jay Jackson was placed on the injured list.

With Longoria returning to the Major-League roster, the Giants now have every position player from the Opening Day roster back, with the exception of Mauricio Dubon, who is in Sacramento for the first time since April 21, when Solano hurt his right calf and was placed on the injured list on April 22.

When Wilmer Flores hit his three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning on Friday night, it was the 15th home run of the season for Flores and he is the sixth different Giants player with at least 15 home runs this season, joining Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, Buster Posey, Lamonte Wade, Jr., and Mike Yastrzemski. Since moving to San Francisco in 1958, the Giants have never had more than six players with 15 plus home runs in a single season.

This was only the second loss of the season to the Rockies at Oracle Park, as the Giants are 7-2 in their home park this season, with Sunday being the last game in San Francisco this season.

The Giants still have to travel to Colorado twice more this season, as they are only 1-2 there this season. Over the last month of the season, the Giants and the Rockies play there six times.

UP NEXT: Alex Wood looks for his 10th win of the season, as he takes the mound on Sunday afternoon. While the Rockies will send right-hander Jon Gray to the hill, as he looks to even up his record at 8-8 on the season.

Flores goes deep in Giants close win 5-4

San Francisco Giants Wilmer Flores (41) gets congratulations from teammate Austin Slater (13) after hitting and scoring on his three run home run in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco Fri Aug 13, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Wilmer Flores came up with the biggest hit of the night for the San Francisco Giants.

Flores hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, helping the Giants to a 5-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies before a crowd of 36,126 at Oracle Park, for the Giants sixth win in a row.

With the victory, the Giants now have 75 wins on the season, and this is just the second time since the Giants moved to California in 1958 that they have 75 wins thru their first 116 games of the season. The last time they did it was in 1993, when they won 103 games and finished in second place in the National League West, one game behind the Atlanta Braves.

Austin Slater led off the bottom of the inning with a double, after a flyout by Kris Bryant, Buster Posey walked and then after a Darin Ruf flyout for the second out of the inning, Flores then launched his 15th home run of the season into the left field bleachers to give the Giants a 3-0 lead.

Thairo Estrada then got in on the act, as he singled in Donovan Solano, who followed Flores by walking and then Mike Yastrzemski then singled to advance Solano to second, who then scored on the Estrada single to give the Giants a 4-0 lead at the end of the first inning.

Anthony DeSclafani pitched the first five innings for the Giants, as he allowed two runs on two hits, walking two and striking out four. It was the 11th win of the season for DeSclafani against five losses.

Over the final four innings of the game, Gabe Kapler turned the ball over to his bullpen and the quartet of Jay Jackson, Tony Watson, Tyler Rogers, Jake McGee and Zack Littell preserved the win over the Rockies.

Austin Gomber went four innings for the Rockies, as he allowed five runs on seven hits, walking three and striking out two, as he saw his record fall to 9-7 on the season.

The Rockies got on the board in the top of the second inning, as Sam Hilliard walked with one out, then Garrett Hampson singled Hilliard to third and then Gomber helped out his own cause, as he dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt that allowed Hilliard to easily score from third base.

After the Giants batted around in the bottom of the first inning, Austin Slater led off the inning by doubling and he then scored the Giants fifth and final run of the inning, when he scored on a Ruf single off of Gomber.

CJ Cron drove in what proved to be the final run of the game for either team in the top of the third inning, as he singled off of DeSclafani to score Ryan McMahon, who walked to lead off the inning.

McMahon then singled in the top of the fifth inning, as he extended his hitting streak to 10 games, a new career high.

After going 0-for-3 in his first three at-bats on the evening, Bryant ended up picking up two hits in his final two at-bats.

Slater continues to hit the ball well, as he went 3-for-5 on the evening with two runs scored and Flores also picked up two hits and three runs batted in for the Giants, who maintain their five-game lead in the National League West over the Los Angeles Dodgers, who won earlier over the New York Mets 6-5 at Citi Field on a two-run home run by Will Smith off of Jeurys Familia in the top of the 10th inning.

The San Diego Padres lost on a Daulton Varsho walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Padres 3-2 at Chase Field. With the loss, the Padres are now 10 games behind the Giants in the National League West and are now five games behind the Dodgers in the Wild Card race and only 2.5 games ahead of the Cincinnati Reds for the second wild card spot.

Former Giants outfielder Connor Joe got the Rockies within one run in the top of the ninth inning, as he hit a two-run home run off of McGee; however, McGee was able to get pinch-hitter Trevor Story to ground out to Flores at first base for the second out. Brendan Rogers then extended the game, as he singled off the right field wall, Charlie Blackmon then singled up the middle just moments after he barely missed hitting what would have given the Rockies a 6-5 lead.

Zack Littell came on to replace McGee and he was able to close it out with a strikeout of Cron to end the game.

NOTES: Brandon Crawford and the Giants agreed to terms on a two-year extension that will have the Bay Area native in a Giants uniform through the 2023 season.

Prior to the game, the Giants activated DeSclafani from the 10-day injured list, while Camilo Doval was optioned to Sacramento and Aaron Sanchez was placed on unconditional release waivers.

This was the 39th home win of the season for the Giants, as they are now 39-17 at home, good enough for the best home record in the major leagues.

The Flores home run in the bottom of the first inning was the Giants 60th home run of the season with two outs.

With the 7-0 shutout of the Rockies on Thursday night, the Giants now have 13 shutouts, tying them with the Milwaukee Brewers for the most in the Major Leagues.

On the other side of things, the Rockies were shutout for the 15th time in the 7-0 loss in the series opener and it is most times that they have been shutout in a season. In their inaugural season of 1993, they were shutout 13 times during the entire season.

UP NEXT: While the Giants have yet to announce a starter, the Rockies will send Jon Gray to the mound in search of his eighth win of the season.