Game #9: San Francisco Giants @ Colorado Rockies (04/13/2016)

With an impressive series-opening victory now behind them, the San Francisco Giants entered Coors Field on Wednesday evening in hopes of dropping the Colorado Rockies once more to clinch an early series-victory.

Unfortunately for San Francisco, however, their starting pitcher Jake Peavy was unable to quite keep pace with Colorado's starter Jordan Lyles (who also struggled mightily throughout the contest).

Inconveniently for the Giants, the Rockies struck rather early this evening, courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Trevor Story and an RBI ground-out from Nolan Arenado in the bottom of the first inning.

In the top of the third, however, the Giants were quick to respond, as Denard Span ripped a two-out double into right-center field to plate Angel Pagan and Trevor Brown, evening the score at 2-2.

The game would continue very much in this manner -- the Rockies would score, the Giants would answer, the Rockies would score again . . .

In the bottom of the third inning, Colorado struck for three additional runs, to propel themselves to a 5-2 advantage.

In the fourth, a Nolan Arenado double down the left-field line would score Trevor Story, as the Rockies jumped out to a sizable 6-2 lead.

Thus, Jake Peavy had become the first pitcher in the history of the San Francisco Giants to allow NINE extra-base hits in a single game (which is clearly not a highly sought-after statistic).

With five innings in the books, and a 6-2 deficit looming over them, the Giants knew that they had to strike back as quickly as possible.

The top of the fifth inning would prove to be their golden opportunity.

Angel Pagan led the inning off with a rolling ground ball which he was able to beat out at first base – this was followed by a Trevor Brown RBI double and the deficit was trimmed to 3-6.

Later in the inning, a Joe Panik sacrifice fly would send Trevor Brown to the plate, and the score would flicker to 4-6.

Then, Hunter Pence celebrated his birthday with a bouncer into right field, plating Denard Span and cutting the once-large deficit to 5-6.

This San Francisco rally would chase starter Jordan Lyles from the game (much to the delight of a rather battered Jake Peavy).

The Giants’ comeback efforts would ultimately be in vain, however, as the Rockies scored once more in the bottom of the sixth, and (despite a Brandon Belt home run in the top of the eighth), were able to finish the game off in the closing stages.

In their final opportunity at the plate, Nolan Arenado launched a three-run blast to left field, burying San Francisco’s hopes of a comeback directly into the soil.

Arenado would finish the game with 7 RBIs in Colorado’s impressive, series-evening victory.

San Francisco will look to take the series tomorrow afternoon with Matt Cain atop the hill.

FINAL SCORE: Rockies 10, Giants 6.